While a regular menstrual cycle is a sign of good health, it sometimes comes with painful and potentially embarrassing symptoms that can severely interfere with even routine daily activities.

If you are such a sufferer, menstrual cycle supplements may prove to be helpful and more healthy. Since these uncomfortable symptoms arrive every month, taking prescribed or strong OTC pain killers isn’t really the best solution.

Although using analgesics for period pain is quite common (and aggressively marketed by the pharmaceutical companies) there is an increasing awareness that long-term use has harmful effects on the body, particularly organs such as the liver and kidneys.

When a menstrual cycle starts, hormones in the female body fluctuate intensely, often creating a vortex of annoying symptoms. Swollen breasts, moodiness, and dizziness may only be the beginning.

Most women resort to taking pain relievers like ibuprofen, for the duration of their symptoms, but pain relievers only target the cramp pain, they do nothing for the other annoying symptoms. Hormone pills often leave their users with many side effects, some of which are long term. For these reasons it may be worth your while to try a more natural and holistic solution – natural supplements.

Benefits of Using Natural Supplements

Natural supplements may fall under the same category as mainstream hormone pills, but the benefits are clear. Even though they essentially do the same job, natural supplements surpass hormone pills in many areas:

Because menstrual cycle supplements are made with natural ingredients, they are safer to use and have no known side effects.

Supplements also can improve a woman’s energy levels. They promote the growth of endometrium and can help reduce or eliminate the painful symptoms for women who suffer from endometriosis. By choosing the right supplement, you can go about your life with less pain or discomfort.

To achieve the maximum effect from these supplements, you should also implement a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise. Maintaining a healthy body weight also helps to regulate your body’s hormone production.

Types of Supplements

Choosing the right supplements can be daunting, but the journey begins as near as your local pharmacy. All of the supplements listed below can be found in pill form and work to help particular symptoms.

* Vitamin A – Taking Vitamin A will help reduce the overall symptoms of PMS.

* Vitamin B6 – Vitamin B6 has diuretic properties and helps to reduce bloating. This vitamin is also thought to help regulate estrogen imbalances that present during menstruation. B6 also enhances magnesium effectiveness in the body.

* Vitamin E – Vitamin E has been shown to reduce the pain of tender and swollen breasts.

* Zinc – Taking Zinc improves PMS-related acne and reduces depression.

* Calcium – Calcium has also been shown to reduce overall discomfort related to PMS symptoms.

* Magnesium – Magnesium helps to relieve stress but also helps to reduce water retention.

* Omega 3 Fatty Acids – These fatty acids are beneficial for providing menstrual relief for many women.

* Evening Primrose Oil – Breast pain and irritability can be suppressed with the help of this herb. Evening primrose oil contains prostaglandin, which is a naturally occurring fatty acid that works to reduce the adverse effects of the prolactin hormone.

Prolactin contributes to the development of several PMDD and PMS symptoms. The amount of Evening Primrose Oil to take varies, depending on how severe the symptoms are. For example, extreme cases may benefit from taking 3000mg to 4000mg a day for 3 months and gradually reducing to 2000mg to 3000mg for an additional 2 months. Eventually, the dose can be lowered to approximately 1500mg to 2000mg a day during the pre-menstrual phase.

Do not take more than the recommended dose, as overdosing can have dangerous side effects. Supplements affect different women in different ways, so it’s imperative to test them out and see which one works best for you.

You can also turn to your doctor for advice on finding the perfect escape. With some testing and patience, you can find relief from those annoying period problems.