If you’re feeling dizzy before your period, you should explore some of the reasons for it. Many women who ask, is it normal to feel dizzy are ones that may be suffering from mineral deficiencies such as calcium, magnesium, potassium and/or iron deficiencies. The reason why there’s the and/or conjunction there in the previous sentence is because many deficiencies usually occur together. They are rarely seen by themselves.
The dizziness before the menstrual cycle may be accompanied by the feeling of being faint, and there are solutions for it.
Let’s look at why these dizzy spells before the period occur from the perspective of the different mineral deficiencies:
1. Magnesium Deficiency – This is one of the most common deficiencies that occurs, and interestingly, it wasn’t diagnosed commonly for decades. That’s because blood tests don’t usually show there is a magnesium deficiency unless they are ionic magnesium tests or red blood cell tests. The body considers magnesium an electrolyte and will do whatever it can do to keep levels in the blood normal. However, the two tests mentioned are the most accurate. Low levels of magnesium impact blood pressure, which can go too low and cause dizziness. The dosage you need daily is 500-600 mg so supplementing with 300-400 mg once daily can be quite beneficial.
2. Calcium Deficiency – This is another common deficiency found in women of childbearing age. It’s also responsible for dizzy spells before the period starts. You need about 1000-1200 mg daily, and many supplements will contain this amount in 2-3 dosages.
3. Iron Deficiency – This third mineral deficiency is also quite common in women who are menstruating. Iron is essential for your red blood cells and oxygenates your bloodstream. When you menstruate every month, you lose blood. When you lose blood, you lose iron that was inside the red blood cells. Thus, it’s important for you to make sure that you eat enough red meats, dark green leafy vegetables, eggs, and vitamin C foods (for better iron absorption) so you don’t have a deficiency. Dizziness, lightheadedness and fainting are two of the symptoms of deficiency of this mineral, and when you start menstruating, that’s the time your levels of iron will go even lower. This is why you get the symptoms. If you want to find out how to stop dizziness during your period, you might start with a blood test for iron deficiency. Taking 18 mg iron daily will prevent iron deficiency if your levels are currently within normal levels.
4. Potassium Deficiency – This mineral deficiency isn’t that common except in the summer time when people are more prone to not drink enough water and sweat a lot more. Potassium, like sodium is an electrolyte – and when the electrolytes are low, you can start experiencing dizziness the week before your period. This isn’t because the menstrual cycle is causing dizziness, but rather because of the electrolytes that are low.
One way to get rid of dizziness is to make yourself a smoothie with fruits that are high in potassium and sodium. For example, you could make a smoothie with this recipe:
• 2 oz cranberry juice
• 2 oz pomegranate juice
• ½ cup cantaloupe
• 6 oz water
• ½ teaspoon salt (to balance the potassium)
• (optional: If you have access to a new juice on the market called cactus juice, add 2 ounces to beef up the potassium even more.)
• 1 period vitamin (for balance of the vitamins and minerals)
All these deficiencies can be alleviated if you religiously take your multiple vitamin mineral supplement (period vitamin). So don’t forget this aspect of it!
