B Vitamins and PMS

Increased B Vitamins
May Ease PMS Symptoms

Vitamins and Minerals
Valuable For Helping
Support Women's
Health, According
To Research

Higher intakes of the B vitamins
thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2)
from the diet may reduce the
incidence of premenstrual
syndrome (PMS) by about
35 percent, suggest important new findings.

According to a new report published in the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the link between B vitamins
and PMS is biologically crucial since B vitamins such as

thiamine and riboflavin are known to play important roles
in the synthesis of various neurotransmitters involved in
PMS.

While most women experience mild emotional or
physical premenstrual symptoms, as many as 20% of

women experience symptoms severe enough to meet
the definition of premenstrual syndrome, which can
substantially interfere with daily activities and
relationships.

The new study, performed by researchers from the

University of Massachusetts, Harvard, and the University
of Iowa, indicates that increase intakes of certain
B vitamins from food sources may help reduce the
incidence of PMS.

Study Details

Using data from 1,057 women with PMS and 1,968
women without PMS participating in the Nurses' Health
Study II cohort, the researchers found that women with
the highest average intakes of riboflavin two to four
years prior to diagnosis were associated with a 35
percent lower incidence of PMS than women with the
lowest average intakes.

On the other hand, the researchers did not observe any
benefits with other B vitamins, including niacin, folate, B6,
and B12. In addition, supplemental intakes of these
vitamins was not linked to PMS incidence, they added.

"We observed a significantly lower risk of PMS in women
with high intakes of thiamine and riboflavin from food
sources only," wrote the researchers. "Further research
is needed to evaluate the effects of B vitamins in the
development of premenstrual syndrome."

Other Vitamins

Beyond the B vitamins, there is also some evidence
for the potential of a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D
to lower the risk of developing PMS, a condition that
affects up to a fifth of all women.

According to a study published in 2005 in the
Archives of Internal Medicine (Vol. 165, pp1246-1252),
researchers from the University of Massachusetts and

GlaxoSmithKline reported for the first time that calcium
and vitamin D may help prevent the initial development
of PMS.

Source: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Published online

"Dietary B vitamin intake and incident premenstrual syndrome"

Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.