Posted by Larry Hoover on January 16, 2009, at 7:38:35
In reply to Ideas on female hormonal dilemma?, posted by Cady on January 16, 2009, at 5:49:58
> Has anything else worked for anyone on severe PMS?
I can't speak from experience, but I hope you haven't overlooked nutritional aspects.
There is solid evidence that calcium supplementation improves PMS symptoms. Participants in a double-blind study took 300 mg calcium carbonate 4 times a day.
There is weaker evidence for the efficacy of magnesium supps, but most people are deficient anyway. 300 mg/day would be a good target.
To ensure uptake, you need to have sufficient vitamin D, so 1000 IU/day would be sensible.
There is lesser evidence for the efficacy of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), perhaps because some people don't utilize the most common supplemental form very well. Therefore, a trial of activated B6, P-5-P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate) makes more sense. 100 mg/day in the week preceding symptom onset would be a good trial. Because increased intake of one B-vitamin increases demand for others, it's a good idea to combine the P-5-P with a B-complex supplement.
And finally, gamma-linolenic acid has a folk reputation for alleviating PMS, particularly that found in evening primrose oil. It may even be another fat in EPO other than the GLA that has some effects. Hard to say. Doses as high as 4000 mg/day are in the literature, but I'd go with perhaps 1200. Also, it's more effective with e.g. fish oil (long-chain omega-3 fatty acids).
I've listed them in the order of proven efficacy, but in any case, don't try all of them at once, or you'll have no idea which substance, or which dose, has any benefits.
Regards,
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:874289
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090104/msgs/874298.html