PMS and the Mineral Connection – Surprising NEWS

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OVERVIEW
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), is a group of symptoms, linked to the menstrual cycle that can affect woman of menstruating age. The emotional symptoms include: depression, food cravings, mood swings, poor concentration, tension & anxiety. The physical symptoms include: abdominal bloating, acne flare up, breast tenderness, constipation or diarrhea, fatigue, headaches, joint pain and weight gain due to fluid retention.

These symptoms can range from mild to debilitating. For most women PMS disappears once the actual period begins. It is rare indeed to find a women of menstruating age that doesn’t experience some symptoms.

The market is saturated with countless products that claim to treat PMS. At best, these products may be helpful, at worse, you can end up spending a lot of time, money & frustration chasing down the one product that may lead to some relief.

We hope to save you some of that frustration. We know what has been clinically shown to work, and these are the minerals we will list and discuss below.

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CLINICALLY RESEARCHED MINERALS for PMS
A surprising amount of clinical studies point to mineral deficiency as being the main culprit in PMS. We discuss these minerals below and ENCOURAGE you to ensure you are receiving adequate daily amounts.

CALCIUM – Calcium is one of the few natural supplements that have been conclusively proven to help women with PMS. That’s not to say that other supplements aren’t beneficial, just that, based on clinical evidence, calcium has been given the figurative “thumbs up”. In fact, many clinical studies show that calcium can provide relief for most all of the PMS symptoms listed above.

Studies have repeatedly shown that calcium levels fluctuate in women of menstruating age. Serum calcium levels tend to be lowest during the luteal phase of the cycle (luteal phase = start of ovulation through the day before your next period – an average range of two weeks).

PMS symptoms, such as anxiety and depression are also included in the range of symptoms benefitting from proper levels of calcium. Why? Because calcium is a vital element in the process of neurotransmitter release. When calcium channels are blocked or blood serum levels are too low, the release of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, are inhibited. (Source & Source)

In one clinical study, 497 women were randomly assigned 1,200mg of calcium or placebo every day for three menstrual cycles.  Calcium’s benefits began to appear at the luteal phase of the second cycle. The women receiving the calcium, experienced a 48% reduction in total symptoms. (Source)
A 1999 study examined clinical trials from 1967 through 1999. It too concluded, from these many studies, that calcium supplementation benefits PMS. This multi-study review noted that the effective calcium dosage ranged between 1,200 and 1,600mg daily.

SPECIAL NOTES: Calcium absorption is dependent on the levels of vitamin D in the body. If you have a vitamin D deficiency, you are also at a heightened risk for calcium deficiency.

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VITAMIN D – Calcium supplementation may not produce significant improvements in PMS symptoms unless it is combined with vitamin D supplementation. This is because calcium REQUIRES adequate levels of vitamin D for absorption. For more information on the importance of vitamin D, please read our article: Vitamin D – A Pandemic of Deficiency.

Vitamin D is converted into a metabolite known as calcitrol. Calcitrol is the active form of vitamin D which is responsible for increasing the levels of calcium in the blood. Therefore, if you have a deficiency of vitamin D, you most likely will have a deficiency of calcium.

SPECIAL NOTES: If there is not enough serum calcium available in your body, calcitrol can stimulate the release of calcium from your bones, increasing the risk of conditions such as: osteopenia & osteoporosis.

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MAGNESIUM – Magnesium helps to regulate calcium, copper, potassium, vitamin D and zinc. It is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body (after calcium, phosphorus and potassium), and often touted to be the most important mineral of all. Unfortunately, the majority of Americans do not consume enough magnesium.

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include: anxiety, constipation, insomnia, irritability, joint pain, migraine and muscle cramping. The daily RDA for magnesium in adults 31 years of age and older is: 420mg for men and 320mg for women.

According to several studies, magnesium supplementation can help alleviate bloating (i.e., water retention), cramps, depression & irritability. In the studies we reviewed, that showed a link between magnesium and PMS, reduced magnesium levels were a consistent factor in premenstrual syndrome. (Source) (Source) (Source)

Magnesium is said to work as a muscle relaxant (for cramps); a diuretic (for water retention & constipation); an antispasmodic (for migraines) and a natural tranquilizer (for depression & irritability).

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IRON – Most women are aware of the importance of iron supplementation during menstruation; however, many are not aware of its benefits during the luteal phase.

This study assessed the mineral intake of around 3,000 women and followed them over a 10-year period. According to Dr. Elizabeth Bertone-Johnson, who led the study, women who consumed the most non-heme iron (the type found in most plant foods as well as supplements), had a 40% lower risk of developing PMS then women who consumed the least amount. (Source)

Though the RDA for premenopausal woman is 18mg daily, the above study reports the risks of developing PMS dropped significantly for those women who consumed more than 20mg of iron daily.  The lowest risk was seen in women consuming close to 50mg daily. The study’s researchers cautioned however that iron can be harmful if taken above recommended levels. (Source)

In the following 2012 study, researchers analyzing data from the Nurse’s  Health Study II (1991 – 2001), reported very similar results: Women with the highest non-heme iron intake reported a 36% reduced risk of PMS symptoms then the women with the lowest intake of non-heme iron. (Source)

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ZINC – Unlike calcium and magnesium, zinc cannot be stored in the body. It needs to be replenished on a daily basis. Furthermore, the same study, cited immediately above, suggests that daily zinc intake of 15mg was associate with lower PMS risk. (Source)

The emphasis in the following study was given to the interplay between copper and zinc. Because copper competes with zinc for intestinal absorption and serum protein binding sites, the zinc:copper ratio can reflect the availability of zinc in the body. In this study, results showed that zinc deficiency occurred in PMS subjects during the luteal phase, and that zinc’s availability during the luteal phase was further reduced by elevated copper levels. (Source)

In the last of the three studies we reviewed, ½ of the female participants were given a multivitamin, the other half, a multivitamin with zinc. After 10 weeks, the women taking the multivitamin with zinc showed a significant reduction in depression, anger and hostility, whereas the women who only took the multivitamin did not. (Source)

The USDA recommends 8mg daily of zinc for women and 11mg daily for men.

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Author: DoctorYourHealth.com
The writer/researcher of this article is not a medical professional. Information contained herein has been collected from peer-reviewed study sources believed to be reliable, and every precaution has been taken to ensure its accuracy. The information provided here is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care.

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PRODUCT LISTINGS

Following are just a few of the vast amount of Calcium-Magnesium-Vitamin D COMBO products that we carry. If you don't see what you want or need, feel free to Ask-the-Doctor or call us @ 800.450.0019.