Last week a patient of mine asked, "Do some women not get period pain?" The answer is yes, lots of women don't get period pain. Although painful periods may seem normal - and they are indeed common - period pain isn't inevitable. It is actually a sign that your body is needing extra support. And if your period pain is severe, then your body is screaming for help.
My favorite tools for reducing period pain are acupuncture and herbs. But supplements can also be very helpful. The three supplements with the strongest research behind them are ginger, vitamin D, and calcium.
Ginger
If I had to choose one supplement for period pain, it would be ginger. Ginger inhibits the synthesis of the lukotrienes and prostaglandins - the two chemicals the body produces that cause period pain. From a Chinese herbal medicine perspective, ginger is moving and warming. Since we view period pain as a result of "blood stagnation" often due to "cold," a warming and moving herb is a good call. And unlike the other supplements listed below that can take 2-4 months to take effect, ginger should help a lot in the first month.
Dose: 500mg four times a day started two days before you expect your period. Continue through the third day of your period.
Vitamin D
Multiple studies have linked vitamin D deficiency to higher rates of period pain. Likewise, a handful of well-designed studies have shown that supplementing with vitamin D can decrease period pain.
Vitamin D works by reducing prostaglandin production.
Dose: Start with 2000iu daily but see note below for more detailed dosing guidelines.
The research is mixed on how much vitamin D to take and when, so here's what I recommend for my patients: take enough vitamin D to get your levels in the optimal zone on a blood test. Deficiency is defined as below 30 ng/mL but optimal levels are between 50 and 70 ng/mL. If your levels are below 30 ng/mL, you may want to start with 4,000iu daily and then retest in three months. People absorb vitamin D differently, so there is no one-size-fits-all daily dose that will keep everyone in the optimal range. Instead, you can ideally retest every 3-6 months until you find an appropriate daily dose for your body, and then retest vitamin D annually thereafter.
Calcium
Like vitamin D, low calcium levels and period pain are associated in studies, and supplementing calcium has been shown to significantly reduce pain.
Calcium regulates the ability of cells to respond to nerve stimulation. Low calcium levels can lead to excessive muscle contractions and spasms, whereas sufficient calcium levels allow for better regulated muscle contraction and relaxation.
Dose: 500-1,000mg daily. If you get a fair amount of dairy in your diet, you can start with 500mg a day. If you don't eat much dairy, start with 1,000mg daily.
Other supplements worth mention are vitamin E, fish oil, magnesium, and cinnamon. All of these are also backed by research, though not as strongly.
Ginger, vitamin D, and calcium are an excellent starting point for tackling period pain, but three caveats are important.
First, the full effect of calcium and vitamin D usually isn't until after taking these supplements for 2-4 months.
Second, I rarely see a complete reversal of period pain from supplements alone. Instead, you can expect to significantly take the edge off the pain so that getting through your day becomes easier and you are able to avoid excessive use of pain medication.
Third, period pain is often a result of an underlying condition like endometriosis or adenomysosis. The supplements listed above can still help even if you have one of these conditions, but longterm relief will require addressing the underlying cause.
If you want support with resolving period pain, I encourage you to reach out. You can email Rizes Clinic at info@rizesclinic.com.
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