Being a woman shouldn’t mean pain. But for so many young women, the pain and discomfort of menstrual cramps occur monthly, just like the rent payment, the car payment, and the electric bill. You pay the bills. Ouch. You get cramps. Ouch. Does it really have to be like this?
Menstrual cramps result when prostaglandin hormones trigger muscle contractions of the uterus in order to squeeze out menstrual blood. For many women, this natural function is so mild as to pass almost unnoticed. But for millions, especially those in their teens and twenties, that internal muscular kneading causes unpleasant sensations that range anywhere from mild discomfort in the lower abdomen and lower back to pain so intense that it disrupts the normal daily routine.
The good news is that menstrual cramps tend to diminish as you age and almost certainly disappear once you’ve had a baby. Do note that if you begin experiencing cramping for the first time when you’re older, you should see a doctor. Cramps in older women often signal a medical condition that needs attention.
So, aside from waiting them out, what else works? Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin or ibuprophen, usually send cramps packing, as does a hot bath.
In addition, certain nutrients can be helpful for many women both to prevent and treat the discomfort of menstrual cramps, according to Adrian Fugh-Berman, MD, professor of alternative and complementary medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC.
The essential mineral magnesium is effective in preventing menstrual cramps if you take it throughout the entire month, says Dr. Fugh-Berman. It’s important for muscle function and also helps muscles stay relaxed, she explains. She advises taking 300 milligrams a day.
If you do experience some cramping, increasing the dose somewhat might bring some relief, says Dr. Fugh-Berman. You can double the dose to 600 milligrams a day for the duration of your period. Higher doses of magnesium can cause diarrhea in some people. If you experience this side effect, back off on the dose.
Back in 1996, a study done at the Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, examined the effects of fish oil in relieving painful periods in adolescents. Forty-two girls were divided into two groups. The first group of 21 girls received a daily fish oil supplement and a vitamin E supplement for 2 months, followed by a placebo for 2 months. The second group of 21 girls received a placebo for 2 months followed by a fish oil supplement for 2 months.
When researchers analyzed their results, they found that there was a marked decrease in menstrual pain in each group after 2 months of taking the fish oil supplement.
The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil help reduce the prostaglandin hormones responsible both for cramping and inflammation, explains Dr. Fugh-Berman.
For prevention, she says, take 2 grams of fish oil a day. Then, if you do experience cramping at any time before or during your period, take 4 to 6 grams a day. In both cases, advises Dr. Berman, divide the dose and take it two or three times a day.
A small Iranian study in 2001 showed that vitamin E may have a modest pain-relieving effect for adolescent girls who have painful periods. For the study, a group of 100 girls ages 16 to 18 was given either 500 milligrams of vitamin E or a placebo starting 2 days before the onset of their periods and continuing through the third day of their periods. The treatment continued only for two menstrual cycles. Both the vitamin E group and the placebo group experienced some relief, but, the researchers noted, “the effects of vitamin E are more marked.”
A few studies over the past several years have indicated that vitamin E at such high doses may at some point in the future cause health problems, especially in smokers. In one study published in 2008, researchers at the University of Washington found that long-term use of vitamin E among smokers was associated with “a small increased risk” of developing lung cancer. If you’d like to try taking 500 milligrams of vitamin E just before and during your period, you should discuss it with your doctor. The study indicates that you should be able to tell within a couple of menstrual cycles whether it will be helpful for you or not.
If you’re over 30 and you begin experiencing cramps for the first time or if you’re still getting monthly cramps, you should see your doctor for an evaluation.
Magnesium |
300 milligrams as a preventive; 600 milligrams as a treatment if you experience cramps |
Omega-3 fatty acids |
2 grams of fish oil for prevention, taken throughout the month in divided doses spaced throughout the day; 4 to 6 grams of fish oil during your period, taken in divided doses spaced throughout the day* |
Vitamin E† |
500 milligrams a day in the days leading up to your period and for a couple of days into the cycle |
*Fish oil has a blood-thinning effect. If you’re taking any kind of blood-thinning drug, talk to your doctor before taking fish oil supplements.
† This is a high level of vitamin E. Discuss this therapy with your doctor. Also, vitamin E has a blood-thinning effect. If you’re taking any kind of blood-thinning drug, talk to your doctor before taking vitamin E.