In a world dominated by social media fitness trends, the pursuit of visible six-pack abs and an ultra-lean physique is often equated with peak health. However, health experts are increasingly warning that this aesthetic ideal can come at a steep biological cost. Also read | Fitness coach says ‘skinny is actually quite useless’; shares 3 things to focus on for sustainable fat loss
Nutritionist Deepsikha Jain took to Instagram on June 29 to issue a reality check for women striving for extreme leanness. She said, “Girls, if I were your nutritionist, then here’s what I would remind you, skinny girls with visible abs usually skip their period.”
Body in ’emergency mode’
According to Deepsikha, the loss of a menstrual cycle in highly active, lean women is a medical condition known as hypothalamic amenorrhea. This happens when the brain’s hypothalamus — the control centre for hormones—shuts down reproductive signals due to severe energy deficits, she highlighted.
Deepsikha broke down the physiological threshold where this survival mechanism kicks in: it typically occurs ‘when the body fat percentage goes below 14 to 18 percent because of extensive diets and workouts’. Under these conditions, the body undergoes a severe crisis management response. “Your body takes the lack of energy as an emergency and shuts down the essential function like pre-production,” Deepsikha explained.
When energy intake cannot match energy expenditure, the body prioritises immediate survival (like keeping your heart beating and brain functioning) over non-essential functions like ovulation, she highlighted.
The hormonal domino effect
A low body fat percentage isn’t just an aesthetic marker; fat (adipose tissue) is a highly active endocrine organ that produces and regulates vital hormones. The nutritionist warned that stripping away too much body fat directly disrupts a woman’s hormonal baseline, leading to a dangerous domino effect: “A severe loss in adipose tissue can also make your estrogen level drop severely, which can make you have skipped periods with worsening your cortisol levels.”
Deepsikha highlighted how low estrogen levels can lead to a host of long-term health complications, including decreased bone density (osteoporosis), mood disturbances, and poor cardiovascular health. Meanwhile, chronically elevated cortisol (the stress hormone) further exacerbates fatigue, anxiety, and metabolic issues.
Choose strength over shrinking
While fitness culture often pushes women to constantly minimise themselves, Deepsikha urged a massive mindset shift, sharing that true health is defined by vitality and thriving biological systems, not a number on a scale or visible abdominal lines.
Instead of chasing a restrictive aesthetic that compromises internal health, Deepsikha left women with this piece of advice: “So don’t focus on shrinking yourself but rather strengthening yourself.” Sharing the video, she captioned the post: “Send this to all the girls who want to look skinny.”
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
