This article was co-authored by Zora Degrandpre, ND. Dr. Zora Degrandpre is a Natural Health Doctor and Licensed Naturopathic Physician in Vancouver, Washington. She is a grant reviewer for the National Institutes of Health and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. She received her ND from the National College of Natural Medicine in 2007.
There are 18 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 8,048 times.
Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is a mixture of symptoms that women often experience a week or 2 before their period. Common symptoms include bloating, cramps, moodiness, and headaches. If you experience PMS, then you probably want relief as soon as possible. There are several remedies for PMS, and some herbal treatments might help improve your mood and fight the physical pain that comes with PMS. However, these treatments lack concrete evidence, so they may not work for everyone. If you want fast relief, then over-the-counter pain medication will probably work better. Also, if you often experience severe PMS symptoms, then visit your doctor for an exam and further treatment.
Steps
Herbs That Might Help
Several herbs are associated with relief from PMS symptoms. While they’ve become popular natural treatments, many of these herbs lack concrete evidence on their effectiveness, so they may or may not work.[1] However, you can try them yourself to see if they bring any relief. Make sure you ask your doctor if herbal remedies are safe for you before taking them, especially if you take medication regularly.
Use St. John’s Wort to relieve emotional symptoms. St. John’s Wort is a mood-stabilizer often used to treat depression and anxiety. If you regularly experience emotional or mood symptoms during PMS, then a daily supplement may help.[2]- Common doses for St. John’s Wort are 900-1,000 mg daily, but follow the dosing instructions for the brand that you use.[3]
- Ask your doctor before you start taking St. John's Wort because it could interact with a few medications. Common contraindications include oral birth control, antidepressants, and blood thinners like warfarin.
Try chasteberry for abdominal and breast pain. Chasteberry may be an effective treatment for the physical symptoms of PMS, particularly cramping and breast pain. Try taking a chasteberry extract if you regularly experience physical pain during PMS.[4]- The doses for chasteberry vary, ranging from 4 mg to 50 mg per day. It depends on how concentrated the extract is. Follow the dosing instructions that come with the brand you use.[5]
- Women on hormonal birth control or menopause treatments shouldn’t take chasteberry because it can interfere with your hormone levels and make those treatments less effective. You also shouldn't take it if you're breastfeeding.[6]
Advertisement
Fight cramps with black cohosh. This is a traditional remedy for body pains and aches, so it might help with PMS cramps. You can take it as a tablet or mix the powder into a drink.[7]
Take evening primrose oil to ease digestive problems. PMS can cause indigestion, gas, constipation, and bloating. Primrose oil is a traditional treatment for digestive problems like these, and can help if you experience these symptoms during PMS.[10]
Try ginkgo biloba to minimize achiness. Some studies suggest that this supplement could relieve general PMS symptoms, especially aches and pains. Try taking 40 mg per day to see if this works for you.[13]- Ask your doctor before taking concentrated ginkgo doses because it can interact with blood thinners, antidepressants, statins, and pain relievers. Don't take it if you have epilepsy, because it could increase your risk of seizures.[14]
Advertisement
Vitamins and Minerals to Relieve Symptoms
Besides herbal treatments, some vitamins and minerals are also associated with relief from PMS symptoms. Getting enough of these nutrients can make your body more resilient and resist the pain and discomfort that goes along with PMS. If you follow a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, then you probably get enough of these nutrients already. If you have any deficiencies, then you can take a daily supplement with your doctor’s approval.
Take 1,200 mg of calcium to help with pain and mood symptoms. Some doctors recommend increasing your calcium intake during PMS to reduce fatigue, cramping, and mood swings. Try eating more calcium-rich foods or taking a supplement to increase your calcium levels.[15]- Calcium-rich foods include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, and fortified breads and cereals.
- Calcium is also important for strengthening your bones and prevent osteoporosis.
Try magnesium for headaches and migraines. If you often suffer from migraines during PMS, there’s some evidence that magnesium supplements could help with that. Try taking a daily magnesium tablet to increase your intake.[16]- Women need about 320 mg of magnesium per day, which you can get from food or supplements.[17]
- You can also get more magnesium from nuts, leafy green vegetables, whole grain products, and fortified cereals.
- If you already have enough magnesium in your diet, then adding more might not help.
Increase your omega-3 fatty acid intake to relieve cramps. A diet high in omega-3s could help relieve cramping and body pains during PMS. Try to get 1-2 grams of omega-3s each day so your body has the right nutrients to fight PMS symptoms.[18]- Good omega-3 sources include oily fish, plant oils, and nuts. You can also take a daily supplement if you don’t get enough from your regular diet.
Get at least 1.2 mg of vitamin B6 each day to combat moodiness. There is evidence that having enough vitamin B6 in your system can prevent moodiness, fatigue, and other emotional side effects of PMS.[19] Women should get at least 1.2 mg per day from their regular diet. You can also take a supplement if you aren’t getting enough from your food.[20]- Many foods have vitamin B6 and most people get plenty from their regular diet. Good sources include dairy products, eggs, poultry and pork, nuts, beans, most vegetables, fish, and whole-grain bread.
See if vitamin E helps your PMS symptoms. Vitamin E could help relieve PMS symptoms, but the exact benefits aren’t clear.[21] Try to include at least 15 mg per day in your diet to see if this provides any relief from PMS.[22]- Nuts, seeds, and vegetables are the main sources for vitamin E. You can also take a supplement if you don’t get enough from your regular diet.
Advertisement
Medical Takeaways
There are a number of herbs that might relieve your PMS symptoms. As long as your doctor tells you that it’s safe, you can try these for yourself to see if they work. However, these herbal treatments don’t have a lot of research backing them up, so they might not work for you. If they don’t work, then a more conventional treatment like pain relievers might be better. If you regularly experience severe PMS symptoms, then you should see your doctor or gynecologist for further treatment.
Expert Q&A
References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3118460/
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20155996/
- ↑ https://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/1201/p2249.html
- ↑ https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/chasteberry
- ↑ https://www.aafp.org/afp/2005/0901/p821.html
- ↑ https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/premenstrual-syndrome
- ↑ https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/black-cohosh
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/BlackCohosh-HealthProfessional/
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/BlackCohosh-HealthProfessional/#h5
- ↑ https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/evening-primrose-oil
- ↑ https://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/1215/p1405.html
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-evening-primrose/art-20364500
- ↑ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19678774/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-ginkgo/art-20362032
- ↑ https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/gynecologic-problems/premenstrual-syndrome
- ↑ https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/premenstrual-syndrome
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
- ↑ https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/premenstrual-syndrome
- ↑ https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/premenstrual-syndrome
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-b/
- ↑ https://www.acog.org/patient-resources/faqs/gynecologic-problems/premenstrual-syndrome
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/
About this article
Reader Success Stories
"A lot of details and all around good information, even down to specific herbs and medications."
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
