Abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, migraine, and nausea: the accompanying symptoms of menstruation make a woman’s life very difficult every month.
Great suffering every month
The contractions of the uterus that can cause menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) in some women, especially women who have never been pregnant. The suffering of those affected is high – both professional and private life are sometimes massively impaired.
Relief thanks to the sun vitamin – vitamin D?
The good news: Sometimes the painful problem can be alleviated. Studies have shown that sun vitamin D – when used in a targeted manner – could help affected women in a natural way.
A study by the University of Massachusetts with 186 participants showed that women with a higher vitamin D intake suffer less frequently from premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Questionnaires on dietary behaviour and pain intensity were evaluated. Participants with a daily intake of more than 100 International Units (I.E.) had only 30% of the group with an intake of less than 100 I.E. at risk of developing PMS.
In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, scientists from the University of Messina in Italy wanted to investigate the effects of vitamin D3 on menstrual pain. Five days before the expected onset of menstruation, 40 women with PMS received either 300,000 I.E. vitamin D3 orally – once only – or an inactive placebo.
A single high dose of vitamin D reduced pain by 41% in studies.
The intensity of menstrual pain was measured using a visual analogue scale. In addition, the intake of any painkillers was recorded. After two months, women who had been given vitamin D experienced a 41 percent reduction in pain. No pain relief was observed in the control group who received a placebo.
None of the women treated with vitamin D used painkillers compared to 40% of the control group.
The more severe the pain, the better the effect.
The largest pain reduction was achieved in women who complained of the most severe pain at the beginning of the study. Also noteworthy: none of the women in the vitamin D group used painkillers during the two months, while 40 percent of the women in the placebo group used painkillers.
According to Harvard researcher Prof. JoAnn Manson, 300,000 I.E. of vitamin D is needed every two months to combat menstrual pain. This dose corresponds to a daily intake of 5,000 I.E. vitamin D.
