Vitamin B eases PMS symptoms
Summary of story from Globe and Mail, 1.3.11.
Eating foods rich in B vitamins significantly lowers the odds of developing premenstrual syndrome (PMS), according to a new US study published in the online edition of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
PMT symptoms, like mood swings, feeling irritable, and loss of interest in sex can occur in the two weeks before a woman’s monthly period.
Nearly all women of child-bearing age have some premenstrual symptoms, with about one-third seeking help from a health-care provider.
Interactions between hormones and brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, stress and poor eating habits are thought to trigger or worsen PMS.
In the study, US researchers followed 6,000 healthy women for 10 years during which time they were asked about their diet, supplement use and presence of PMS symptoms. After 10 years, 1,057 women were confirmed to have PMS.
A high intake of two B vitamins from foods – thiamin (B1) and riboflavin (B2) – was associated with a significantly lower risk of developing PMS.
Women who consumed the most thiamin (1.93 milligrams a day) compared with the least (1.2 mg) were 25 per cent less likely to suffer PMS.
Those whose diets provided the most riboflavin (2.52 mg a day) had a 35 per cent reduced risk of PMS compared with women who consumed the least (1.38 mg).
