Which nutrients and herbs may be useful for PMS?

Women who suffer from PMS may want to supplement with calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin B6, 5-HTP, evening primrose oil, chasteberry, St. John’s wort, black cohosh, and dong quai. Women should consult with a pharmacist before supplementing.

Supplementation with calcium and vitamin D may alleviate many symptoms of PMS, which may be caused by low calcium levels due to fluctuating estrogen. Supplementing with both magnesium and vitamin B6 may reduce symptoms of PMS-related anxiety. Magnesium may also help to reduce water retention. 5-HTP helps the body to produce serotonin, and may therefore help to alleviate mood swings and irritability.

Evening primrose oil contains fatty acids, and may be useful for PMS management. Chasteberry have been shown to decrease symptoms and discomfort associated with PMS at a success rate up to 93%. St. John’s Wort may improve most symptoms of PMS, especially mood swings and depression. Also, black cohosh and dong quai may be useful for PMS, due to their estrogenic qualities.

According to Dr. John Lee, some women with PMS may be estrogen dominant. He explains that these women would have fewer PMS symptoms if they used natural progesterone to help balance the estrogen/progesterone ratio.