Q. I've been experiencing irregular periods since taking diet pills. Why exactly does this happen, and does it affect my weight loss?

It is a common experience to feel dizzy and depleted when an overly ambitious diet is paired with strong stimulants. The human body is biologically conservative; when nutritional intake drops sharply or metabolism is artificially forced upward by medication, the body perceives a state of emergency. It concludes that it is a time for 'survival' rather than 'reproduction,' subsequently deprioritizing reproductive hormones, which results in irregular periods. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this condition is viewed through the lens of 'Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo, 脾虛)' and 'Blood Deficiency (Hyeol-heo, 血虛).' When the Spleen's function weakens, nutrient absorption fails and blood quality declines, reducing the blood flow to the uterus. Furthermore, the accumulation of 'Blood Stasis (Eo-hyeol, 瘀血)'—dead blood or debris—and 'Phlegm-Fluid (Dam-eum, 痰飮)'—abnormal fluid retention—further hinders the circulation of Qi and Blood, exacerbating the hormonal imbalance. The critical issue is that this does not end with menstrual changes. When the hormonal balance is disrupted, the body desperately clings to water, increasing edema and causing the basal metabolic rate to plummet. This creates a stubborn 'plateau' where weight loss stalls despite low calorie intake. Rather than relying on extreme fasting or potent stimulants, the priority should be restoring your body's innate metabolic capacity. I recommend accurately assessing your current physical state and replenishing depleted Qi and Blood before continuing with weight management.