The Consumer Guide to PMS
Other dietary therapiesRecent findings
References
Browse Our Wide Selection PMS Formulas Products
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) has been fodder for countless stand-up comics, but it's no laughing matter for the one in three middle-aged women affected. What causes PMS, and what can women do about it? PMS diagnoses fall into in four main forms (PMS-A, -C, -D, and -H), according to dominant symptoms, and all are linked to female sex hormones. PMS can be alleviated by drugs (e.g., leuprolide) that suppress sex hormones, but these produce adverse side effects. Fortunately, there may be safer, equally effective natural approaches.
Benefits and Uses:
Some research indicates that PMS sufferers consume fewer vitamins and minerals than non-sufferers do, while other studies show no differences. It seems logical to try a vitamin-mineral formula designed to alleviate PMS symptoms. Most contain some combination of the following nutrients, which, based on limited clinical evidence, may offer special benefit. Most multi-vitamin formulas contain some of each of these already. If you are taking one already, you could add just enough of each to reach the total daily dose indicated in parentheses.
It is important to note that vitamin B6 has shown the greatest therapeutic benefit, but it cannot be utilized fully without adequate amounts of all the B vitamins. Also, vitamin B6 works closely with magnesium in many enzymatic processes, so both are important to one another's effectiveness:
B Complex vitamins: B6 (50-100 mg); B1, B2, B3 (25 mg each); folic acid (200 mcg); B12 (2 mcg) Other dietary therapies:
EPO: GLA, an essential metabolic fatty acid found in evening primrose oil (EPO) may be of benefit in some cases of PMS. Recent findings:
Many PMS sufferers show above
average blood levels of estrogen, and below average progesterone levels. But
a recent clinical study indicates that about half experience PMS
even when hormone levels are within normal ranges. Browse Our Wide Selection PMS Formulas Products
Magnesium (400-800 mg)
Zinc (15 mg)
Vitamin E (200 IU)
How might EPO aid in treating PMS? According to the authors of a 1983 study, "Three double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, one large open study on women who had failed other kinds of therapy for the premenstrual syndrome and one large open study on new patients all demonstrated that evening primrose oil is a highly effective treatment for the depression and irritability, the breast pain and tenderness, and the fluid retention associated with the premenstrual syndrome. Nutrients known to increase the conversion of essential fatty acids to prostaglandin E1 include magnesium, pyridoxine, zinc, niacin and ascorbic acid. The clinical success obtained with some of these nutrients may in part relate to their effects on essential fatty acid metabolism."
Diet: Vegetarian diets
reduce estrogen levels, inflammation, and PMS
symptoms. Excess caffeine and refined carbohydrates
(starches and sugars) aggravate PMS
symptoms.
Herbs: Vitex has long been the premier "women's' herb," and new clinical evidence indicates it is even more effective than vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) against PMS. Black cohosh may also be of benefit in PMS.
Acidophilus Supplements may help, as this beneficial bacteria decreases
re-absorption of excreted estrogens.
The authors of a 1996 review of all prior research found little reliable evidence to support EPO's efficacy in PMS, saying "The two most well-controlled studies failed to show any beneficial effects for EPO, although because the trials were relatively small modest effects cannot be excluded. Nonetheless, on current evidence EPO is of little value in the management of premenstrual syndrome."
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