High Stress Worsens PMS Symptoms

A new study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other institutions has confirmed what most women already suspected:  high levels of stress exacerbate symptoms of PMS.
Many women suffer physiological and psychological distress during both ovulation and menstruation; typical symptoms include bloating, mood swings, depression and cramping.

For the study, the NIH, along with the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and State University of New York-Buffalo, questioned 250 women ages 18-44 about their stress levels and the severity of their PMS symptoms.  Bottom line?  Women who reported higher stress levels were 4 times more likely to develop moderate to severe PMS symptoms. 

Research Recommendations

In response to the study, the researchers recommend that women who are undergoing higher levels of stress should seek out ways to alleviate troublesome symptoms through relaxation techniques and exercise, which are significantly less expensive than taking pain killers or anti-depressants.

Another alternative to anti-depressants is a remedy made from the berries of the chaste tree.  According to Prevention magazine, a Turkish study revealed that this specific tincture is just as effective as Prozac in easing PMS and PMDD symptoms.

Forty-one women were analyzed by the Firat University School of Medicine in Turkey; half of the group was given Prozac while the other half received a tincture made from the chaste tree.   After 18 weeks, the researchers learned that both Prozac and the chaste tree concoction were equally effective in treating the psychological symptoms of PMS.

PMS and Vitamin B6

Here’s another alternative in treating PMS discomfort.  According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a 2008 study conducted in the UK showed that low doses of vitamin B6 are also helpful.
In that particular body of research, 900 women were either given a placebo or 100 milligrams of B6 every day.  The women who took the B6 had significantly less severe PMS than those who took the placebo.

Dr. Mercola further adds that a diet consisting of high amounts of grains and sugars can increase insulin, which ultimate reduces the effectiveness of an enzyme known as delta 6 desaturase.    If thisenzyme does not work properly, prostaglandin metabolism will be disrupted, resulting in abnormal hormone physiology.