Symptoms of perimenopause -- the beginning stage of menopause that can last several years -- include changes in the length and amount of blood lost during menstruation. During perimenopause, your periods may occur more or less frequently and include lighter or heavier blood flow. You may also experience blood clots -- large or small -- during perimenopause with or without taking vitamin B supplements.
Blood Clots
Although blood clots are common during perimenopause, talk to your doctor about them. Blood clots could signal a sign of something other than symptoms of menopause. High cholesterol and atherosclerosis -- hardening of the arteries -- could produce blood clots and increase your risk for heart attacks and strokes. If you take vitamin B supplements to treat perimenopause, at least one of the vitamins -- vitamin B3 -- may actually reduce your likelihood of developing dangerous blood clots. Taking vitamin B complex does, however, pose other health risks, some of which are serious.
Vitamin B and Perimenopause
Taking vitamin B supplements may treat some symptoms of perimenopause, including depression, insomnia, forgetfulness, anemia and anxiety. Vitamin B helps your body produce sex hormones, so it may also relieve symptoms such as decreased interest in sex. However, it might increase other symptoms, including irregular heartbeat and skin flushes.
Precautions
Take special note of how much vitamin B3 -- niacin -- and vitamin B6 your B complex supplement contains. If you take more than 100 mg of vitamin B3 a day, you may experience skin flushes, irregular heartbeat, dizziness, stomach upset and gas. If you take vitamin B3 for extended periods, you may suffer vision loss and liver damage. Vitamin B3 can also worsen kidney disease and create high blood sugar in persons with type 2 diabetes. Vitamin B6, used to treat symptoms of menopause as well as premenstrual syndrome and morning sickness during pregnancy, can cause nausea and vomiting in some people. If used for a long time, vitamin B6 can also cause nerve and brain problems.
Considerations
Talk to your doctor about blood clots and bothersome symptoms of perimenopause. Ask if vitamin B might help to treat your symptoms and, if so, what doses will provide the greatest benefit and the fewest harmful risks. Hormone replacement therapy as well as alternative treatments such as taking vitamin B or soy carry risks, and it makes sense to become well-informed about your options. You can safely add vitamin B to your diet through foods such as fish, nuts, chicken, beef, fortified breakfast cereals, yeast, milk, green vegetables and eggs.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Vitamin B3 (Niacin); June 18, 2009
- Medline Plus: Thiamine (Vitamin B1); May 9, 2011
- Medline Plus; Riboflavin (Vitamin B2); Nov. 19, 2010
- Medline Plus: Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5); Nov. 19, 2010
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health: Vitamin B6
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Learn More about Vitamin B12 Deficiency; Aug. 3, 2009
