Q: I exercise regularly; however, my monthly cycle always affects my training, due to cramps and simply a lack of energy! Are there any steps I can take to help prevent this disruption to my routine every month?

A: You have probably noticed that there is a great deal of information available on how male bodybuilders and athletes can build stronger bodies; however, we have not forgotten the special needs of serious and dedicated women. Today’s modern woman is more active, more in tune with her physical well-being and more than ever wants to take charge of her own body, as well as her mind.

Women and men have different needs for their bodies to feel energized and to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Although many sports supplements are taken in the same way (we have the same requirements for an adequate intake of protein, antioxidants, and possibly a good multivitamin, for example), we have other needs that are more specific to women’s health.

“… there are a number of dietary supplements that have been shown to directly attack PMS symptoms.” In some of our future issues, we will highlight many of the various stages of life that every woman goes through. For now, let’s tackle one of the most “shocking” problems that occur: that dreaded “Time of the Month.”

Although there is no perfect solution to eliminate some of the symptoms that women face during this period, here are some of the most frequent questions, answers and some tips to improve a woman’s health and make our life a little easier throughout the month, especially when we want to stick to our normal diet and exercise program.

What is menstruation and why is it important?

Menstruation is a natural process that occurs in all healthy adult women who have not reached menopause. Some women have their period every 18 days; some every 36; some women bleed for two or three days, others for seven or eight; all this and everything else is normal.

When menstruation begins, in adolescence, the pituitary gland produces hormones that stimulate an egg in the ovary to mature and produce hormones called estrogen and progesterone. About once a month, this maturing egg leaves one of the ovaries during ovulation. In the days leading up to ovulation, the uterus, stimulated by estrogen, builds up its lining with extra blood and tissue to make the uterus more padded in case the egg is fertilized. When the egg is not fertilized, it does not adhere to the wall of the uterus, so the uterus sheds the extra tissue that covers the tissue and blood.

This monthly shedding of the uterine lining is menstruation, which can also be called menstruation, menstrual period, or simply “period.”

It is very common to experience problems with menstruation. Some of us only experience problems once in a while, while others fear “that time of the month” knowing that they will experience various levels of PMS or PMS.

There are more than 150 symptoms associated with PMS; however, the most common include cramps, mood swings, breast tenderness, food cravings, fatigue, or depression, which, as you know, can affect almost every part of our life.

Up to 75% of menstruating women have some type of premenstrual symptoms. These symptoms are most common in your 20s and 30s and tend to develop a predictable pattern. However, the physical and emotional changes you experience can be more or less intense with each menstrual cycle.

Attacking the symptoms head-on!

Experts believe that many symptoms, including swelling, breast tenderness, and sugar cravings, occur when there is a disturbance in the balance of specific female hormones. Generally, premenstrual or menstruating women have these three hormones in excess: estrogen, prolactin, and prostaglandins combined with a lack of progesterone. It is for this reason that doctors often prescribe the contraceptive pill to help relieve severe symptoms.

However, in my opinion, taking the pill just to alleviate these symptoms can be a bit excessive. Although you should always consult with your doctor for the best alternatives and advice, there are a number of dietary supplements that have been shown to attack symptoms head-on.

Supplementation with essential fatty acids can be helpful in reducing many symptoms, such as cramps and bloating. In fact, diets low in omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with menstrual pain. A study from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition also showed that essential fatty acids can help relieve breast tenderness and control carbohydrate bonds, so try adding fish oil or flax seed oil capsules to your program. supplementation.

Chromium can also help ease sugar cravings and can help keep you from eating the entire contents of the cookie jar as a form of comfort. (A scenario I’m all too familiar with!) Chromium is called an “insulin enhancer,” which helps the body metabolize carbohydrates and regulate blood sugar levels. Active women would need to take between 100 and 200 mcg per day, concentrating on the higher levels for about 12 days before their period. You can also take this nutrient continuously throughout the year, as studies show that it can also help you lose weight.

The vitamin B family of nutrients has been found to profoundly affect PMS symptoms. These vitamins can be taken individually or they can be found in multivitamins (especially those designed for women) or in a B complex formula.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) taken in doses of 50 to 100 mg per day has been shown to help the liver process estrogen, increase progesterone levels, and allow the brain to produce serotonin, which would definitely help with mood swings. , which sometimes can (Okay, often!). The niacin form of vitamin B has been reported to be effective in relieving menstrual cramps in 87% of a group of women who take 200 mg of niacin per day throughout the menstrual cycle. They then took 100mg every two to three hours while experiencing menstrual cramps. Another study reports that vitamin B1 (thiamine) was more effective than placebo in relieving menstrual cramps: the women who participated in the study consumed 100 mg a day.

Minerals should also play a role in reducing symptoms – calcium can help prevent menstrual cramps by maintaining normal muscle tone. Muscles that are deficient in calcium tend to be hyperactive and therefore may be more prone to cramping. However, the jury is still out on this mineral, as to whether it relieves pain during menstruation or simply premenstrual cramps. Some doctors recommend calcium supplementation for PMS, suggesting 1000 mg per day throughout the month and 250 to 500 mg every four hours for pain relief.

Magnesium is a mineral that can help with dysmenorrhea (painful periods). Magnesium supplements have been reported in preliminary, double-blind European research to reduce symptoms of dysmenorrhea. In one of these double-blind trials, women took 360 mg of magnesium per day for three days starting on the day before menstruation began.

There are many herbs available on the market, such as dong quai, agnus castus, and black cohosh, which have been shown to rebalance hormones within a woman’s body and reduce symptoms such as breast tenderness. Herbs are known to interact with medications, so check with your doctor if you want to use these alternatives.

More real SOLUTIONS to overcome PMS!

There are other ways to help alleviate common symptoms, in addition to the herbal and supplement suggestions mentioned above. Try these small changes and see if they make a big difference.

Try eliminating caffeine, from coffee or soda, from your diet for a couple of months. It’s not clear why it can contribute to PMS, but it may be because caffeine releases adrenaline and interferes with progesterone. Many women find that breast pain is relieved when they reduce or eliminate caffeine at the time of menstruation. Additionally, the simple sugars found in processed sweets and sweets can cause rapid swings in blood sugar levels, which in turn contributes to unwanted or worse mood swings. .

The swelling, tender breasts, and headaches of PMS are due to water retention. Salt increases water retention and causes tissues to swell … which causes the above symptoms. About ten days before your period, try to consciously reduce sodium (such as table salt, prepackaged foods, and frozen entrees, which contain a lot of excess sodium).

Although PMS seems like the perfect excuse for comforting chocolate, chocolate can actually worsen mood swings and intensify sugar cravings, as well as lead to weight gain. So, try to find other foods that don’t make your symptoms worse and set you back on your nutrition goals for the rest of the month.

Don’t worry, it’s not just about eliminating certain food categories! Some food groups can help ease your symptoms. Complex carbohydrates, consumed regularly every three hours, help keep blood sugar levels in balance. Just remember to also consume a protein source. Try to incorporate complex carbohydrates, such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, yams, and oatmeal into your daily nutrition. This is, of course, always important to any healthy, athletic woman; however, it is even more so at this time of the month.

“Although the last thing we usually feel like doing is being active, it can help release pent-up tension and anxiety.” In addition to diet, be sure to get plenty of exercise. Although the last thing we usually feel like doing is being active, it can help release pent-up tension and anxiety. In addition, exercise promotes the release of endorphins to give you a natural high. Most women experience a deep sense of peace after exercising. This may be due to increased production of endorphins, which are chemicals produced by the brain that have a natural opioid effect and are believed to be the reason for the “runner’s high” many long-distance runners experience.

Exercise at moderate intensity for 30 minutes a day at least three times a week. This will likely also help relieve menstrual cramps and bloating, as the vigorous pumping action of the muscles during exercise moves blood and other fluids through the body and away from congested areas, such as swollen feet.

In conclusion

It’s not 100% clear what causes most PMS symptoms. The culprits are most likely a combination of physiological, genetic, nutritional, and hormonal factors. There is no test you can perform for PMS or a specific cure. However, just by adding a few supplements and making a few lifestyle changes, you should be able to get some relief from your symptoms.

Email me and let me know if these strategies help you during “that time of the month.” Can you reach me in [email protected]. I would love to hear from you!