The Vitamin And Menstrual Pains

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Relief May Lie in the Vitamin

Premenstrual syndrome and painful cramps are a monthly routine for a lot of women. Most "grin and bear it" or turn to medications to ease their suffering. The answer to relief may lie in the vitamin. Now it appears that many women can find relief by ensuring that they get the right balance of vitamins and minerals at that crucial time of the month.

What Vitamins and Minerals Help?

Doctors have recommended for year that menstruating women take extra iron to prevent anemia. With the loss of blood over several days, many women find that their iron levels plunge. The recommended 15 mg per day is easiest to consume as a dietary supplement, either on its own or as part of a multivitamin. Women who find they crave red meat during their periods should think twice about giving into these cravings. Beef, lamb and pork may actually aggravate menstrual cramping. Our bodies use the saturated fats from these meats to create chemicals that cause the uterus to contract, creating cramps. So while you may be solving one problem, the need for extra iron, you could be making a cramping problem worse.

Studies have shown that a diet high in calcium can provide relief from menstrual cramps. Recommended doses vary from 1,000 mg to 1,500 mg per day. Since a diet high in calcium is important for strong bones anyway, making sure you take enough to help control cramps is a great idea.

The other nutrient combination that has been shown to help with cramping is the vitamin B 6 and niacin. It's important to keep an eye on the level of B 6 in any supplement you're taking, since excessive levels can be toxic. The dose should be in the 200-300 mg range.

Niacin works best if you start taking it between seven and ten days before your period is due to begin. Then you should stop taking it the day your period starts. The minimum effective dose is 25 mg, but if that doesn't work for you, try increasing the amount. Some women need as much as 200 mg of niacin per day to ward off cramps. There is a need for caution in women with liver problems, who should only take niacin after checking with their doctors for possible problems.

Another supplement recommended to keep women feeling great during their periods is the vitamin C. Getting as much as 1,000 mg every day may keep you feeling better and prevent some of the normal discomfort.

Not Just the Vitamin - Nutritional Tips

The vitamin regimen is not the only help. That bloated feeling many women get during their periods can come from water retention. The easiest way to avoid this is to cut down on the amount of salt in your foods during menstruation. Keep an eye on food labels because salt can hide in unexpected places, like soups and cheeses. Avoid salty snack foods like chips or pretzels and hold back on using the salt shaker at meal times.

The other common complaint with monthly cycles is a tendency to become constipated. By adding extra fiber to your diet during your period, you should be able to keep your digestive system functioning normally.

Getting your period may never be "convenient", but using the vitamin and mineral tips here to reduce the incapacitating symptoms can make things a lot more bearable for women who suffer. It's a natural way to find relief without turning to the medicine cabinet.

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