Social media users are trying out a viral 'period cancelling trend' - but experts warn it's not what it seems.
Bloody knickers and unbearable stomach cramps don't exactly make 'that time of the month' an occasion to enjoy. And given the choice, many women would perhaps say goodbye to Mother Nature's cycle once and for all.
It's therefore no surprise that countless influencers have been tempted by a controversial 'period cancelling' trend. This primarily involves consuming a combination of jelly powder, lemon juice and a lot of ibuprofen - which is claimed to reduce the flow for a day or two.
TikToker, Alyssa Jeacoma, is among those to have tried it, with her tutorial racking up a staggering 1.8million views. She was motivated to give it a go when her period kicked off on a romantic birthday trip - claiming there wasn't a 'chance in France' she wouldn't have sex while away.
"Since I have my PhD in TikTok, I learned you can cancel your period for the day," she told her 933k followers. "...You're going to do half a bag of Jell-O. They didn't really specify, but I'm assuming uncooked, un-jellified.
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"Give her a nice whirl - it smells good, I don't know. You're supposed to add lemon juice... Then we're going to do 600mg of ibuprofen - somebody said you have to use the gel ones, I don't know if that's true but I'm not f***ing around, ok? It's my birthday. And then you drink it."
After this, Alyssa claimed to 'give it an hour', and later reported back on the results, with her boyfriend dubbing it 'witchcraft'. She added: "By the power of TikTok, it worked...it's been two and a half to three hours since I drank that."
Unsurprisingly, this was quick to rack up thousands of comments, with many users sceptical but intrigued by the idea of holding off a period. One person wrote: "Who has tried this with just the Ibuprofen and not the whole witch's brew potion? Need some feedback by tomorrow," as another claimed: "Just the 600 mg of Ibuprofen alone stops mine for like six to 12 hours."
And Alyssa certainly isn't alone in exploring this either, with various other videos across social media delving into the 'period cancelling hack' from as far back as 2017. This has no doubt seen varying results among users, with some even suggesting they saw no difference at all.
So, can it really work? Helen Bell, a nutritionist and health expert at the UK Care Guide, claims there is no 'credible evidence' to support this, and trying to delay your period in this way may also be harmful. She told The Mirror: "The method of drinking jelly powder, lemon juice, and a lot of ibuprofen to delay or stop periods is not only scientifically unsupported but also, in my opinion, potentially harmful.
"There's no credible evidence or physiological mechanism by which these substances would alter the hormonal balance that controls the menstrual cycle. It seems to be more of a fad, with anecdotal reports possibly based on coincidental timing rather than a real effect."
The menstrual cycle is a 28-day pattern that's predominantly regulated by the delicate balance of oestrogen and progesterone - two hormones that play a pivotal role in reproduction. Jelly powder, lemon juice and ibuprofen do not have a significant impact on any of these hormones, according to Helen, who stressed the idea of 'period cancelling' is largely misinformation.
Despite this, she did acknowledge that ibuprofen can reduce the flow of blood while alleviating pain, even if it cannot delay the onset of a period. The drug can have a major effect on prostaglandin levels - the hormone which causes the uterus lining to shed, triggering a bleed.
But for this to stop your periods outright, it would require taking 600 to 800mg three times a day, according to Dr Karan Raj, an NHS expert. This is significantly higher than a typical recommended dose of ibuprofen (two 200mg tablets three times a day), which could lead to some serious health issues.
Helen continued: "Consuming large amounts of ibuprofen can lead to serious health issues, including gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney damage, and increased risk of heart attack or stroke, especially when taken frequently or in high doses. Lemon juice and jelly powder are generally harmless, but their excessive intake doesn’t provide any benefit in this context and could contribute to dietary imbalances or digestive discomfort."
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If you're looking to delay your period, heading to the GP is therefore always advised for the best advice. It's possible to delay a period using combined oestrogen-progestin birth control pills, but only a doctor can confirm what is best on a case-by-case basis.
Helen added: "In my practice, I always recommend discussing menstrual management with a healthcare provider. However, for natural methods, regular exercise and maintaining a balanced diet can help regulate periods. I've found that some women find that stress management techniques like yoga and meditation can also help maintain a regular cycle.
"However, these methods do not provide the immediate effect of delaying or stopping periods as some hormonal contraceptives can... [Regardless], it's crucial to approach menstrual health with evidence based methods and be mindful of what you see on Tik Tok - or elsewhere for that matter!"
TikTok, YouTube and Alyssa Jeacoma's team have been approached for comment.
According to YouTube, any content that promotes dangerous or harmful activity is strictly prohibited. If dangerous acts are meant to be educational, scientific or artistic, there may be an exception to this.
The platform uses a combination of technology and people to enforce this, removing any videos that violate its guidelines.
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