Women across the world experience symptoms of PMS from an increased appetite to depression and mood swings. It's actually rare when a women doesn't experience any signs or symptoms of PMS, so if you notice fluctuations in your body physically and psychologically before menstruation, you are not alone. Exercise and diet play a significant role in the degree of your PMS symptoms. Make sure your diet is packed with nutrients, especially during your time of the month. If you are not getting enough of just one essential nutrient, symptoms may become noticeably worse. Talk with your doctor before adding any vitamin supplements to your diet.
PMS Mood Swings
Mood swings during PMS are generally feelings of sadness, anger and irritability because hormones are fluctuating. Changes in the output of neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly serotonin, can also cause PMS mood swings in some women. Low production of serotonin during mensuration can also lead to sleep problems, fatigue and food cravings. Poor eating habits have also been linked to mood fluctuations during PMS, when vitamins and minerals are deficient from the diet, according MayoClinic.com.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is part of the B-complex family and helps your body produce neurotransmitters, which can be especially beneficial during PMS. B6 helps to elevate your mood and reduces irritability. MayoClinic.com recommends taking 50 to 100 mg of vitamin B6 daily to improve symptoms of PMS. You can obtain vitamin B6 from food sources such as nuts, beans, legumes, meats, eggs, fish, whole grains and fortified cereals and breads.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps your body absorb and process calcium, which can improve symptoms of PMS. Vitamin D helps stabilize mood swings because it can improve psychological symptoms of PMS. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, Elizabeth R. Bertone-Johnson, associate professor of nutritional epidemiology at the University of Massachusetts conducted a study in 2005 that concluded that women who consumed high amounts of vitamin D and calcium from diet had significantly lower risk of PMS. They consumed approximately four servings of vitamin D and calcium sources per day, including skim or low-fat milk, fortified orange juice or reduced-fat dairy products such as yogurt.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E may help help prevent mood swings by alleviating feelings of anxiety and depression associated with PMS; however, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center, more studies need to be done to determine its effectiveness. Vitamin E also helps alleviate physical symptoms of PMS such as breast tenderness and cramps by reducing the production of the hormone-like substance prostaglandins. MayoClinic.com suggests taking 400 IU of vitamin E per day to help counter PMS symptoms. Natural sources of vitamin E include nuts, eggs, herring, butternut squash, avocado, blackberries, black currants and blueberries. Talk with your doctor if your PMS symptoms do not get better when incorporating dietary vitamins and minerals.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Premenstrual Syndrome -- Symptoms
- MayoClinic.com: Premenstrual Syndrome -- Alternative Medicine
- "Cornell Daily Sun"; Diet and PMS; Hyeon Soh; Dec, 2, 2009
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B6 -- Food Sources
- Dr. Decuypere: Vitamin Chart
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin E
