Magnesium for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

Premenstrual syndrome or PMS can be a real battle for some women. While some women barely suffer there are extremes at the other end that can experience severe symptoms. Understanding PMS, why and how it happens has been a constant study for decades with more recent studies, highlighting a definite link between PMS and magnesium.

Magnesium has so many health benefits that experts are no longer surprised when yet another rises to the surface. The link between PMS and magnesium is just one of those and studies are showing it works exceptionally well.

The typical symptoms of PMS experienced by more than 75% of women include mood swings, irritability, depression, anxiety, bloating, fluid retention, breast tenderness, sugar cravings, headaches and lack of sleep.  Within this spectrum many symptoms are inflammation related and it will come as no surprise to find the magnesium is a highly effective anti-inflammatory.

There have been a variety of studies around magnesium and PMS that have all yielded positive results. Symptoms and triggers of the symptoms of PMS have all been studied directly in association with PMS. Because Magnesium is such a good all-round performer reducing symptoms of certain disorders such as blood sugar, depression, anxiety and general inflammation, it made absolute sense that it should reduce the side-effects of PMS.

Some studies have shown that women with decreased levels of magnesium in the body suffered more from anxiety, poor blood sugar levels and general inflammation. All this exaggerated any symptoms of PMS and thus PMS was very uncomfortable. In controlling the day to day functions and reactions, magnesium added to the diet makes PMS more bearable.

Examples of the results from various studies on women taking 400mg of magnesium precisely for PMS are worth looking at:

• Almost 95% of subjects had less breast pain
• Almost 90% had less anxiety and nervous tension
• Almost 50% has fewer headaches

Blood sugar levels improved along with sugar cravings and dizziness associated using magnesium.

It was noted that when magnesium was combined with vitamin B6, the symptoms of PMS were furthermore reduced to the point where some doctors claim that magnesium is very close to a cure. As always, though, before jumping to conclusions about using magnesium to control PMS it is recommended to seek professional medical advice.