PMDD & Caffeine

PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, is a type of PMS. While PMDD has similar symptoms to PMS such as mood swings and fatigue, PMDD is accompanied by more severe emotional symptoms, including drastic mood swings, anxiety and anger. While health experts are uncertain as to the causes of PMDD, some lifestyle changes and medications seem to help reduce the symptoms. One change is reducing caffeine, which might relieve emotional symptoms such as anxiety and irritability, Dr. Mary Gallenberg, OB/GYN, on MayoClinic.com says.

Research

A 1990 study by Annette Rossignol and Heinke Bonnlander in "American Journal of Public Health" studied 841 women in reference to their menstruation and PMS. The authors found a strong correlation between caffeine intake and PMS symptoms. A correlation also existed between the amount of caffeine consumed and the severity of the symptoms, as the symptoms were steadily reported as worse the more caffeine the women consumed. The women who drank 8 to 10 cups of caffeinated beverages a day suffered from the worst symptoms, although those who drank only one cup were more likely to experience PMS than those who drank no caffeinated beverages.

Reasons

Although health experts are unsure of why caffeine exacerbates PMS, Bennett Weinberg and Bonnie Bealer in their book "The World of Caffeine" note one theory that explains caffeine causes a lack of B vitamins in your body. This leads to a disruption in your body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates, which worsens PMS symptoms. Another idea is that caffeine causes hormonal problems by hindering the liver from breaking down hormones and by increasing stress that causes hormone imbalances, Anne McIntyre states in her book "The Complete Woman's Herbal."

Considerations

According to Lori Dickerson and colleagues in a 2003 article in "American Family Physician," reduction of caffeine and other lifestyle changes are only effective on their own for women with minor PMDD symptoms. While caffeine reduction might also help women with more severe symptoms, you might require additional treatment, such as medication and supplements. Speak to your doctor to determine the best treatment method for your PMDD.

Solution

To reduce your caffeine intake, begin gradually. Try substituting drinks lower in caffeine, such as tea, for coffee. Then switch to decaf coffees and teas or herbal teas with no caffeine. Alternately, if you consume numerous cups of coffee per day, start cutting out one cup at a time and simply reducing the amount you consume instead of eliminating it. Remember that some medications and chocolate also contain caffeine.