You can delay your period while using hormonal contraception. Some people use natural remedies, but research hasn’t proven them effective.

You may often wish you could delay your period. Who hasn’t wanted to avoid a period while on vacation? And who wouldn’t desire to push it off a bit to avoid companion symptoms like breast tenderness and bloating during a big event?

If you search the internet for ways to naturally delay your period, you’ll be met with a plethora of ideas — from exercising to drinking vinegary water.

But do any of them work?

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been touted as a miracle cure for acne, heartburn, and even belly fat.

Some of these cures are supported by research, and some are not. So, it’s no wonder people also promote ACV as a cure-all for menstrual issues, like pain or bloating.

But as it turns out, there’s no research to support using ACV to delay your period. The only research that has looked at the impact of ACV on menstruation is in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and this small clinical trial was done in 2013.

The study actually found that ACV may cause menstruation in women who haven’t had normalized reproductive cycles because of blood sugar and hormonal imbalances.

No evidence shows that ACV can delay your period.

Additionally, regular doses of ACV might also damage your teeth and the delicate tissues of the mouth and throat.

If you do try ACV, make sure you don’t drink it straight from the bottle. Dilute it with water or another liquid to make it safer and more palatable.

Gram lentils

Anecdotal reports say consuming gram lentils in the days just before your period may push it back. These reports suggest you fry the lentils until soft, then grind them into a fine powder. You can also simply purchase gram lentil flour. Consume the powder in a smoothie or soup.

There’s no research to support this, however. If you do try this, be aware that the extra fiber might cause some stomach distress, bloating, and extra flatulence.

Lemon juice

Lemon juice, like ACV, is a highly acidic food. It’s unclear why anecdotal reports suggest the citrus fruit might help push back bleeding. There is no research to support this.

What’s more, foods with a lot of acid can irritate your teeth, gums, mouth, throat, stomach, and intestines. If you try lemon juice, be sure to water it down in a glass of water or another beverage.

Exercise

Excessive exercise may delay the start of a period. People who engage in heavy physical activity or exertion in the days before a period may notice it doesn’t begin on time.

This could be a result of low-energy availability. When your body has used a great deal of its energy to both exercise and recover, it may not have the energy reserves for a normal menstrual cycle.

However, there’s no research to support using exercise to purposefully delay a period. It’s only been shown to do it often as an unintended consequence.

Though many natural ways people try to delay their period lack evidence, there are some non-natural remedies that work. They typically involve hormonal birth control.

Norethisterone

Norethindrone (norethisterone) is a prescription medication that can delay the start of a period.

Your doctor may prescribe you 3 tablets a day, starting 3 to 4 days before you expect your period to begin. Once you stop taking the medication, your period should begin within 2 to 3 days.

This medication is considered a birth control, but you wouldn’t be using it long enough to have those benefits.

If you intend to have sex while taking norethisterone, you’ll need to use another form of birth control, such as a condom, to prevent pregnancy.

Side effects include nausea, headache, breast tenderness, and mood changes.

Birth control pill

If you use a progesterone-estrogen combo pill as birth control, you can delay your period by skipping the placebo pills (the 7-day break when you’d typically have a bleed) and beginning your new pack of pills right away.

Be sure to check with your doctor before doing this.

If you’re unsure how to do this, ask your doctor or a pharmacist. A healthcare professional can explain when to do this and when you should start your next pack.

Many people use birth control for longer periods of time than the 21-day pack. Continuous use of combined hormonal pills seems to be safe for most people.

In fact, before medications were approved by the Food and Drug Administration for long-term period suppression, doctors would tell their patients how to use the pills to skip periods.

If you need to pause your period for any reason, talk with a doctor about your options. Some natural remedies are safe to try, though no research proves they’re effective. However, it’s important to be aware of the potential side effects.

Lemon juice and ACV may irritate sensitive tissues in your mouth and throat. They can also weaken the enamel on your teeth. Gram lentils may cause bloating and discomfort in your stomach.

Non-natural remedies are the most effective, but you need a prescription for those. If you already take birth control pills, your doctor can also tell you how to use the contraceptive to delay the start of your period.

Both natural and chemical remedies for delaying a period may not work. If they don’t, you could have a period anyway. Irregular bleeding or spotting might also happen, even when you don’t get a full period.