- The most
severe form of PMS is called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder
(PMDD). An FDA-approved treatment for PMDD is Serafem. Serafem is
a renamed and chemically equivalent version of Prozac.
Women who want to reduce or eliminate the symptoms of PMS, but who prefer not to take Serafem, can try some of these other methods which have proved helpful to many women:
- Research has
proven that you can reduce up to almost half of all symptoms
(including mood swings, depression, and menstrual cramps) of PMS
by simply consuming 1200 mg of calcium daily. Calcium is an
important nutrient for women of all ages for the prevention
of osteoporosis
in later life.
- One of the
best ways to reduce PMS is through regular exercise. Not only does
exercise reduce, or sometimes eliminate premenstrual syndrome, it
also is an excellent way to reduce stress and lower your risk of
diseases including heart disease and cancer.
- Women who
experience premenstrual breast tenderness can reduce or eliminate
this symptom by taking 600 IU of Vitamin E daily. Vitamin E also
appears to have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system,
may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, and offer other
health benefits, according to the Mayo Clinic.
- Dietary
changes that may help reduce the symptoms of PMS include following
a low-fat vegetarian diet, and/ or reducing your intake of refined
sugar, salt, red meat, alcohol, and caffeine. Increasing your
consumption of complex carbohydrates, leafy green vegetables,
fruit, cereals and whole grains is also helpful for many
women.
- Women who
crave sugar during the days they experience premenstrual symptoms
often find relief by supplementing their diet with 300 to 500 mg
of magnesium. Magnesium also may help reduce breast
tenderness.
- Some women
experience a decrease in symptoms by taking 50 to 300 mg of
Vitamin B6 daily. Care should be taken not to overdose on Vitamin
B6 as side effects such as numbness can occur when too much of
this nutrient is consumed.
- Alternative
treatments that may be helpful include taking about 1500 mg of
Primrose oil daily, or using natural progesterone cream (amount
varies by product).
- Some women
are able to control the symptoms of PMS by using oral
contraceptives; however it's important to weigh the pros and cons
of hormonal treatment since the side effects are sometimes more
bothersome than the original symptoms.
- Over-the-counter treatments that may help include ibuprofen, naproxen, and other drugs specifically made for relieving premenstrual symptoms such as Midol. Aspirin may not be a good choice for women during menstruation because of its potential to increase the length and severity of menstrual bleeding.
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