Magnesium - An Excellent Treatment for PMS

More than forty percent of menstruating women are affected by premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and for many of these women, the symptoms are severely debilitating. PMS presents with a vast array of symptoms - most commonly, abdominal bloating, breast pain, headaches, fatigue, fluid retention, pelvic pain, mood swings, aggression, memory impairment, insomnia and anxiety. These symptoms are usually absent during the week following the period, but can appear at any time during the two weeks (most commonly during the last four days) preceding menstruation, and then decline at the beginning or in the first days of the period.

Magnesium deficiency is strongly implicated as a cause of PMS. Cellular magnesium levels in women with PMS are significantly lower than in women who do not suffer from PMS. Because magnesium plays an integral part in normal cell function, magnesium deficiency may account for a wide range of PMS symptoms. Adding further weight for the need for magnesium supplementation in women with PMS is the fact that magnesium deficiency and PMS share many common symptoms.

How Magnesium Works against PMS

Magnesium helps to restore optimal levels of neurotransmitters that are often low in PMS patients. These low neurotransmitter levels contribute significantly to the depression experienced during PMS.

Magnesium is required for the normal metabolism of sugars (carbohydrates) and magnesium deficiency can cause instability of blood sugar levels that often occur in PMS. It also exerts numerous other effects at a cellular level that contribute to the resolution of PMS symptoms.

Scientific Proof

At least four independent studies have confirmed the observation of low cellular magnesium levels in women with PMS.

Clinical trials that have tested magnesium for its ability to alleviate PMS symptoms almost always find benefit.

One clinical trial of magnesium in women with PMS found a reduction of nervousness in 89%, breast pain/tenderness in 96% and reduced weight gain in 95% of the women tested after magnesium supplementation.

Another double-blind study involving high-dosage magnesium supplementation found that this therapy provided significant relief from PMS-related mood changes.

Yet another study involving low-dose (200 mg per day) magnesium for two months demonstrated magnesium's effectiveness against weight gain, swelling of extremities, breast tenderness, fluid retention and abdominal bloating in women with PMS.

Magnesium Helps Other PMS Treatments

While magnesium is effective on its own, combining it with vitamin B6 provides even better results against PMS symptoms. Vitamin B6 increases the effectiveness of magnesium by helping magnesium to get into the cells where it is needed. Conversely, magnesium helps to convert vitamin B6 (which is also used for the treatment of PMS) into its most biologically-active form.

The Take-Home Message

• Scientific studies have demonstrated that magnesium exerts favourable effects against most PMS symptoms through a number of different mechanisms.
• Most women with PMS are found to have low cellular levels of magnesium.
• If testing for magnesium deficiency, women should ensure that cellular levels are tested, not serum levels.
• Clinical trials demonstrating the effectiveness of magnesium for treating PMS symptoms have used doses of up to 1,080 mg per day, however doses of as low as 300 mg may be beneficial.
• The best forms of supplemental magnesium are magnesium citrate, magnesium glycinate, magnesium lactate, magnesium orotate, magnesium phosphate, magnesium picolinate and magnesium taurate.
• Magnesium supplements are utilised most effectively when taken with meals.
• Magnesium is likely to be even more effective against PMS symptoms if it is used in conjunction with vitamin B6 (25 - 500 mg per day).
• It may be necessary to use supplemental magnesium for up to two months before its beneficial effects against PMS symptoms become noticeable.