Is Krill Oil good for PMS Syndrome?If you are a woman, chances are you have experienced some physical and emotional symptoms in the week preceding your menstrual period. These can include your irritability, mood swings, breast tenderness, difficulty concentrating, sadness, bloating, carbohydrate cravings, and other issues. The medical community refers to these issues as premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. Although we do not try to have these problems, they can become very severe and interfere with everyday relationships and life. If you have PMS that is very bad, you may have premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD.
Although researchers do not completely understand the causes for PMDD or PMS, causes may include fluctuations in hormones progesterone and estradiol along with changes in the neurotransmitters of the central nervous system like serotonin and GABA. Studies are being conducted to discern if these are normal fluctuations in the hormones or if females become more sensitive to the changes before the menstrual cycle. Behavioral and mood related symptoms are important features of PMS. The GABA and serotonin are neurotransmitters that are influenced by sex hormones to make us feel good. These hormones may interfere with the binding abilities of GABA and serotonin to the brains receptors to cause mood disorders. Since carbohydrates increase GABA and serotonin production, many women turn to an increased carb intake to make themselves feel better. Studies have shown beneficial effects to taking omega-3 fatty acids that are contained in krill oil or fish oil supplements. A study in 1995 found that women with low omega-3 fatty acid intake experienced more severe pain and moodiness than women who regularly ate fish and other sources of omega-3 fat. Another study that treated women with 2g of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids each day for two months reduced the mood symptoms of PMS in adolescents. A third research project involved providing test subjects with 2g of krill oil each day for one month, then 2g each day for eight days before menstruation, then two days during menses for two months. The results indicated that stress, depression, and irritability, as well as physical symptoms of PMS, were significantly reduced after 45 and 90 days, although fish oil reduced only some physical elements. Researchers believe that omega-3 fatty acids contained in krill oil can benefit mood swings due to PMS because they are rich in EPA and DHA content for brain phospholipids, structures that positively influence the woman’s emotional balance. Omega-3s are often used for mood related issues, and women suffering from PMS often have lower levels of DHA in their brain membrane structures. Researchers believe that a slight increase in krill oil dosage during premenstrual syndrome could reduce emotional disturbances that occur immediately preceding the period. The omega-3 fatty acids in krill oil have been proven to positively support healthy menstrual cycle in women. If you believe krill oil may work for you, it is a good idea to talk to your Doctor about this all-natural method. You may find it very useful! |
