PMS Cures: Hype or Hope

Written by Karen and Rochelle on 09 May 2011

Calcium supplements, acupuncture. Herbal remedies. Light therapy and so on. Women spend countless dollars on these “natural” remedies to beat PMS.

The question is do they really work? Do you turn into a crying, bloated, chocolate-craving “she-thing” every month?

If the answer is a resounding yes, you’re in good company. Between 20%-40% of all reproductive-age women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS), according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

And women are willing to shell out big bucks to relieve symptoms: Sales of over-the-counter PMS products such as Premsyn PMS and Midol PMS totaled more than $165 million last year, according to AC Nielsen research.

Over-the-counter drugs may offer some relief, but there’s no surefire solution for PMS, since doctors don’t know exactly what causes PMS, says Michelle Barron-Hoff, MD., am endocrinologist at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Still, as interest in alternative medicine continue to rise, women have been searching for cures on the health-food store shelves since 1998.

Health store giant GNC’s sales for PMS-related “natural products topped more than $13.5 million in sales last year.

Tread with caution- many of these treatments haven’t been subjected to rigorous research, so efficacy and side effects aren’t known warns Dr. Barron-Hoff.

So are alternative treatments a rip off? Dr. Barron-Hoff took a hard look at the claims results for four “natural” therapies that are making the rounds in women’s magazines.

The Calcium Cure

A growing number of experts claim that certain nutritional supplements and dietary changes may reduce PMS symptoms. In fact, research has found that women who took a daily 1,200 milligram calcium supplement nearly halved PMS symptoms within three months. The findings; PMS may be a sign that you’re not getting enough calcium, since the symptoms of calcium deficiency are similar.

Dr. Barron-Hoff recommends consuming 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily through either calcium rich foods or through chewable supplements.

Likewise, other research suggest that eating carb-rich foods the week before your period starts may help. The reason: Levels of serotonin (the brain chemical that regulates mood and appetite) may plunge the week before your period, hitting you with an attack of the blues.

However, eating two ounces of a carb-rich food (like cereal) twice a day on an empty stomach can improve your mood within 40 minutes.

Light Treatment

Exposure to bright lights has been proven to ease seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the blues can strike in cold months and that may be connected to serotonin levels. This has prompted some experts to explore whether light therapy could reduce PMS symptoms as well.

A University of California at San Diego study found that women who were expose to bright white light for seven days before their periods started had a lessening of symptoms.

“We think that light therapy either stablilizes women’s daily circadian rhythms or enhances serotonin production, both of which can affect mood cycles explains, Dr. Barron-Hoff.

Chaste Tree Berry Supplements

This herbal pill, found in health-food stores, is touted as a hormone stabilizer. In a 1993 German study, 90 percent of the more than 1,500 PMS sufferers in the trials reported complete relief of symptoms after taking chaste tree berry for less than a month.

It appears to balance levels of estrogen and progesterone. One rare occasion, chaste tree berry can cause allergic reactions, such as itchy eye or a runny nose. Dr. Barron-Hoff, wouldn’t recommend chaste tree berry if you are taking oral contraceptives.

Keeping in mind that herbal supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA, there’s no telling whether the pills you buy have the right dosage. You may need to try several brands before you find relief.

Acupuncture

Getting stuck with needles may sound like a lot of pain, but proponents claim it’s a way to beat PMS.

During an acupuncture session, needles are inserted into specific points of your body to control chi, or enhance flow. In theory, this releases natural painkillers such as endorphins, which help banish PMS symptoms. Mainstream doctors are more skeptical says, Dr. Barron-Hoff. “Some of my patients that have used acupuncture say that it’s difficult to tell if the acupuncture or more of a placebo effect.”

Although acupuncture’s been proven effective for other conditions, there really not that much clinical data to back up it’s use as a PMS treatment.