Almost all women will experience PMS at some point in their lives. While the symptoms are mild and infrequent for many, PMS can be a veritable nightmare for others. This complex condition has multiple likely causes, with fluctuations in hormone levels and nutritional deficiencies playing key roles. Keep reading to learn more about PMS and find out which lifestyle and diet modifications and supplements can relieve its symptoms.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
PMS is characterized by a collection of physical and emotional symptoms that occur in the weeks before menstruation. Common emotional symptoms include [R<\/a>, R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n Common physical symptoms include:<\/p>\n So what is PMS exactly and why do symptoms vary so much between women?<\/p>\n Women’s bodies normally undergo cyclic changes to prepare for a potential pregnancy. Estrogens and progesterone<\/a>, hormones produced in the ovaries, control these changes. These are, in turn, stimulated by the hormones LH (luteinizing hormone<\/a>), FSH<\/a> (follicle-stimulating hormone), and GnRH<\/a> (gonadotropin-releasing hormone), which are produced in the brain.<\/p>\n These cyclic changes are believed to play a key role in PMS symptoms. However, there\u2019s more to PMS than hormonal changes and researchers are still unclear about what causes it.<\/p>\n While changes in hormone levels during a monthly cycle may play a role, there are also other factors involved. For example, although hormone fluctuations can cause swelling, breast tenderness and pain<\/a>, and weight gain, they may not be a factor in the emotional symptoms women often experience [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n PMS symptoms may be related to how the brain interprets physical changes during menstruation. Women that have differently-wired brains may have a more difficult time coping with hormonal changes affecting their bodies [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Other studies point to nutritional deficiencies as the source of PMS symptoms [R<\/a>, R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Up to 95% of women of reproductive age will experience some degree of PMS. While most will only experience a mild form, around 5% of women may experience a more severe form of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD. PMDD is considered a depressive disorder in which symptoms are severe enough to affect normal work, academic, or social activities [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Estradiol<\/a> (E2) is the most active estrogen in the body. It\u2019s important not just for reproductive function, but also for brain and thyroid function<\/a>, bone health, and maintaining a healthy weight [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n If you have higher blood estradiol levels during the second half of your menstrual cycle, this can result in more severe PMS symptoms<\/strong>. Additionally, hormonal therapy with estradiol can also increase the severity of the symptoms [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n If your PMS is interfering with your life, it\u2019s wise to check and monitor your hormone levels. You can do this with a simple blood test. The estradiol (17-beta-estradiol, E2) test is the most commonly used estrogen test, but you may also want to check your estrone (E1) levels.<\/p>\n Progesterone is another hormone that plays an important role in reproduction. This hormone helps regulate the menstrual cycle and prepare the body for pregnancy. Like estradiol, increased blood progesterone levels are linked to more severe PMS symptoms [R<\/a>, R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In a study of 18 women, high progesterone levels throughout the menstrual cycle were associated with more severe PMS symptoms. Increases in progesterone levels preceded the symptoms by 5-7 days [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n You can monitor progesterone levels by getting regular blood or urine tests.<\/p>\n Luteinizing hormone<\/a> (LH) is produced in the brain and signals the ovaries to produce estradiol and progesterone. It also causes the ovaries to release an egg (ovulation), and supports the early stages of pregnancy [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n High LH levels during the second half of menstruation are associated with bad mood and more severe PMS symptoms<\/strong> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n There are conflicting results regarding the association between PMS symptoms and other hormones, such as [R<\/a>]:<\/p>\n PMS symptoms may actually be due to causes unrelated to your hormone levels. One example of this is anemia<\/a> due to iron deficiency<\/a> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n Taking dietary and iron supplements for 2 months reduced PMS symptoms considerably in a study of 40 women with anemia<\/a> [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n In a long-term study of over 3k women followed up for 10 years, eating an iron-rich diet was linked to a 31% lower incidence of premenstrual syndrome [R<\/a>].<\/p>\n If you have a tendency towards anemia, you should monitor your iron and ferritin<\/a> levels, in addition to your hemoglobin<\/a> levels. If your PMS goes away or decreases when your iron levels improve, you’ve found the culprit for your symptoms.<\/p>\n\n
\n
Possible Causes of PMS<\/span><\/h2>\n
1) High Estradiol (Estrogen)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
2) High Progesterone<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
3) High Luteinizing Hormone (LH)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
4) Other Hormones<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\n
5) Iron Deficiency<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n