The nutrient duo that can ka-pow premenstrual symptoms

My Hormonology

The nutrient duo that can ka-pow premenstrual symptoms

happywoman4Sometimes, combining two things makes them work better than using either one alone.

For instance, both caffeine and over-the-counter painkillers can ease pain when used on their own. However, pairing them together banishes discomfort faster and more effectively. That’s because caffeine helps usher the painkilling medicine into your system faster, making it kick in sooner. And taking two types of analgesics combats pain in different ways, producing a better reduction in discomfort.

I bring this up because I recently gave you a rundown of 8 nutrients and herbs that slash premenstrual woes.

However, research this 2010 study and this 2000 study reveals there are two other nutrients that also reduce premenstrual troubles. And, when taken together, they have an even more powerful effect than when they’re taken separately: They’re magnesium and vitamin B6.

According to the results, women who take 200 mg. to 250 mg. of magnesium along with 40 mg. to 50 mg. of vitamin B6 every day of their cycle have significantly fewer premenstrual symptoms–including anxiety, depression, anger, irritability, bloating, breast tenderness and headache–than those who take either of these nutrients alone.

The researchers believe it comes down to magnesium’s ability to relax you and reduce fluid retention and constipation. And vitamin B6 helps the brain produce key chemicals that are responsible for managing your mood, including serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. Together, they seem to have a synergistic effect that makes them able to usher in a more peaceful, comfortable premenstrual week.

If you plan to try taking magnesium and vitamin B6 to reduce premenstrual woes, keep in mind that it can take up to two full cycles to get the full PMS-busting effect, so patience is key if you don’t see the results you want right away.

Also, as with any new supplement, check out the interactions it might have with other supplements, herbs or medications you’re taking or plan to take at Drugs.com or with your pharmacist.

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