There are hundreds of supplements you could possibly take for help with menstrual cramps and menstrual pain. You might have been asking the question, is evening primrose oil good for period pain; is it a good natural supplement for PMS relief?
Let’s go to the research for the answer.
Study 1 – University Hospital in Tehran, Iran:
In a 2010 study of women with PMS aged 20 to 45 years old, the criteria was that the women had to have PMS cramps or symptoms for six months minimum to qualify.
The women received either a placebo capsule or a supplement that contained vitamin B6, vitamin E and evening primrose oil. They took I daily for two menstrual cycles and then rated 17 PMS symptoms (including migraine and PMS cramps) for severity. They were also rated for depression.
At the end of the study, the evening primrose oil capsules were effective in relieving the PMS symptoms. However, the same results were seen in the placebo group.
Interestingly, other stories show no effects better than the placebo. It’s times like this when you really have to put on your thinking cap and determine what is happening. It’s possible that the dosage in the research was too small. One capsule a day is pretty miniscule! If the researchers wanted to see a result, they should have started with six capsules, a sizeable amount. So don’t believe that evening primrose oil doesn’t help PMS yet.
Can I Use Evening Primrose Oil During My Period?
Another study tested a dosage of 1000 to 2000 mg evening primrose oil in 68 PMS women. They took the oil three days before the PMS symptoms started until menstruation started. Sixty-one percent had complete resolution of their symptoms and another 23% had partial relief. In case you were wondering how long does it take for evening primrose oil to work for PMS, the answer was three months of supplementation.
When Should I Take Evening Primrose Oil?
The answer of how to take evening primrose oil (recommended amounts) is just like the researchers used it in the study – it was effective so go with it!
Are There Any Other Herbs to Take?
Yes, there are. You can choose to take one of 5 other herbals and vitamins and minerals:
Chamomile or other calming herbs – these will calm your nervous system down, relax you and ease muscle cramps, too- Adaptogenic herbs such as suma and shisandra – these will work on regulating the balance that happens in your nervous system as it changes from one stress to the next.
- Complete herbal formulas with 30+ herbs in them to provide a lot of extra phytonutrients for your body to choose nutrients from. These formulas may contain hormone-balancing herbs.
- Individual nutrients such as vitamins and minerals
- A period vitamin that contains vitamins and minerals and herbs meant to facilitate a better menstrual period. Out of all the options, this is by far your best option because it addresses several different solutions all at once. The chances that you will benefit in one way or another from the period vitamin is high.
Source:
Kashani, L., et al. Femicomfort in the treatment of premenstrual syndromes: a double-blind, randomized and placebo controlled trial. Iran J Psychiatry 2010 Spring; 5(2): 47-50.
