PMS a pain? Take Vitamin B: study
March 3, 2011
Toronto Star staff
Relief from the monthly agony of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may come more naturally than you think.
A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a diet rich thiamine and riboflavin — both part of the Vitamin B family — reduced the risk of developing PMS.
The study followed more than 3,000 women over 10 years. All were symptom free at the beginning but 1057 developed PMS during the study.
Those whose diets were rich in foods containing thiamine and riboflavin had a 35 per cent lower risk of PMS.
It’s estimated that three out of four women in their menstruating years experience some form of premenstrual syndrome. Symptoms can include mood swings or irritability, abdominal bloating and cramps, breast tenderness, fatigue, depression and more.
Foods rich in thiamine and riboflavin (Vitamins B1 and B3), include beef, brewer's yeast, legumes (beans, lentils), green vegetables, fish, milk, nuts, oats, oranges, pork, rice, seeds, wheat and whole grain cereal.
The study linked lower PMS risk to diets rich in food sources of thiamine and niacin only. Taking Vitamin B supplements was not found to help prevent PMS.
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