Are probiotics a solution for menstrual pain?
To date, there are no scientific studies proving the benefits of a probiotic strain or combination of strains directly on menstrual pain. We have to be careful about marketing and the claims made by certain laboratories.
However, there are many solutions available in pharmacies that can be recommended for painful periods, solutions that are more natural than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Whether you're on contraception or not, we can recommend the following:
- Evening primrose oil, which is rich in GLA, a molecule that helps regulate inflammation and hormones, i.e. reduce the hyperestrogenic climate. Evening primrose oil can be recommended at a dose of 500 to 1,500 milligrams per day from the 15th to the 25th day of the cycle.
- Period pain can often be a source of anxiety and stress, which can lead to magnesium loss. But magnesium really helps to regulate pain. So it's a good idea to take magnesium before the start of your period to prevent the onset of pain.
- There's also a very interesting molecule that can be recommended, with or without hormone treatment, called pycnogenol. Pycnogenol is a maritime pine bark extract that can be taken at a dose of 30 milligrams a day, around 7 days before the onset of menstruation. It will really have an anti-inflammatory action. It will limit the need for painkillers and reduce the painful period.
- If you're not using hormonal contraceptionIf you don't have hormonal contraception, we can recommend plants such as alchemilla and chaste tree, which will increase progesterone and regulate estrogen levels.
- Given that our hormones are metabolized, i.e. eliminated by our liver, we generally need to support the enzymatic action of the liver, which may require a little detoxification from time to time. I invite you to visit your local pharmacy for advice.
- Above all, avoid vitamin D deficiency. It has been scientifically studied that there may be a link between vitamin D deficiency and the onset of premenstrual syndrome, which can include dysmenorrhea.
What causes menstrual pain?
Painful periodsalso known as dysmenorrhea, is pain linked to abdomino-pelvic contractions that occur with each cycle and can vary in intensity from one woman to the next. Some women will experience only a sensation of heaviness, while others will experience very acute, even incapacitating pain. Generally speaking, they appear one or two days before menstruation and cease fairly quickly once the period begins.
More precisely, menstrual pain is linked to a contraction of the uterine muscle, which causes vasoconstriction (blood vessels constrict) and thus a reduction in the flow of oxygen to the muscles, resulting in pain known as ischemic pain.
These contractions are due to the secretion of inflammatory molecules, called prostaglandins, by the cells in the endometrium, which are eliminated at the time of menstruation. Dysmenorrhea often occurs in a hyperestrogenic climate, i.e. when there is too much estrogen, because estrogen increases the secretion of these inflammatory molecules.
When should you seek medical advice for dysmenorrhea?
Consult a doctor when the pain becomes incapacitating and leads to absenteeism. But also when they are accompanied by other symptoms such as discharge or fever, or if non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, which can be recommended as first-line treatment, are not enough to relieve the pain. If the pain appears in adulthood, you should also consult your doctor, as this may be referred to as "secondary dysmenorrhea".
If you liked this article, you can also watch our video on the subject. While you're on your period, be sure to wear our organic cottonmenstrual briefs which are gentler on your vulva.
