The run-up to having your period is often a time of extra stress on the body, mind and emotions.
There’s a vast array of unenviable symptoms that can vary each time you’re about to menstruate, from cramping, fatigue and water retention to headaches, swollen breasts and a short temper. These begin as early as two weeks beforehand as you ovulate and last as long as five days into your period. But there are supplementing measures that can help to counter some of the most prevalent issues.
"When used in conjunction with diet and lifestyle support, supplements have the potential to ease the most common symptoms of PMS, such as mood swings, low mood, fatigue, headaches, breast tenderness and bloating," says Kirsty Smith from Natural Rays Wellbeing Consultancy, a Functional Medicine Health Coach specialising in hormone and gut health, plus advisory expert for WUKA, who specialise in education around and products for period care. So, while in an ideal world, getting all the nutrients we need to be healthy and happy would come from what we eat, when it comes to PMS, a top-up of particularly beneficial nutrients can be welcome for our wellbeing.
What nutrients should you look for in a PMS supplement?
"B vitamins are amazing for hormone regulation and liver support, which is crucial for excreting excess oestrogen that can recirculate and cause PMS and period problems,” advises Smith. “Also magnesium, which can help with symptoms from supporting sleep and mood, to constipation or digestive discomfort and headaches. There are lots of forms of magnesium, so choose one that supports your particular issues. For instance, magnesium citrate is helpful for constipation, whereas magnesium glycinate can be more calming for mood and sleep.” Smith suggests looking for these beneficial vitamins, minerals and nutrients too:
- Vitamin B6 is particularly helpful for PMS: one study found it supports the reduction of symptoms including food cravings, anxiety, low mood and water retention. Another study found that B6 and magnesium taken together have a positive effect on PMS symptoms.
- Omega-3, either via fish oils or algae, can have anti-inflammatory properties to help reduce bloating, cramping and breast tenderness. Be sure to find a high-quality oil, ideally from wild fish.
- Curcumin, the main active ingredient in turmeric, is known for its potent anti-inflammatory effects. As PMS is often associated with inflammation, curcumin could help reduce symptoms like breast tenderness, bloating and abdominal discomfort.
- Vitamin D, iron and ferritin (a protein that stores iron in the body) play key supportive roles in easing PMS.
- Ginger has been studied to reduce menstruation-related pain and digestive discomfort”.
Will everyone with PMS benefit from a supplement?
"Most people benefit from supplementation as typically our diets are lacking in some of the key nutrients that help ease symptoms,” enthuses Smith. “For instance, magnesium is a mineral that most people would do well to supplement, as our soils are so depleted that it's hard to get our full daily requirement from food alone. It can also be helpful to get key nutrient levels tested to see specifically what you may be deficient in, such as iron or vitamin D.”
How long might it take to feel the benefits of a PMS supplement?
"As with diet and lifestyle changes, consistency and patience are key,” explains Smith. “It takes between 90 and 120 days for mature follicles in the ovaries to be selected for ovulation. During that time, the health of the maturing egg will be influenced by your overall health, and the health of that egg dictates how much progesterone is created in that cycle. Low progesterone in the luteal phase (that starts just after ovulation and ends right before your period) can trigger a number of PMS symptoms. This is why staying consistent for 90 days is so important for any changes in PMS symptoms and why only using supplements when symptoms have started is unlikely to have the desired long-term impact."
For our pick of the best supplements to help ease PMS symptoms, read on…
Wuka Hormone Support PMS Gummies
For those who find tablets or capsules difficult to swallow, pop two of these strawberry-flavoured jellies whenever suits during the day to benefit from the balancing vitamins and herbal extracts. The core ingredient is magnesium glycinate, providing over 1000 per cent of your recommended daily amount (or RDA) to help support energy levels, relax tense muscles and aid in alleviating cramps.
It’s teamed with vitamin B6 to work in synergy, regulating mood swings and hormonal fluctuations while also tempering fatigue as vitamin E also supports balancing hormones. To soothe nausea and cramps, anti-inflammatory ginger has been added along with chaste tree berry extract, a traditional herbal remedy used for centuries to ease breast tenderness, bloating and mood swings. A great all-rounder that provides maximum benefit from select ingredients.
Buy now £24.99, Wuka
Hormona Hormone Support
This smart new supplement from Hormona has been created using data supplied by over 50K women worldwide via their hormone-tracking app, to help tackle the most common symptoms, with 93 per cent of reporting changes in their mood throughout their menstrual cycle and 92 per cent revealing their cycle affects daily life.
Developed with this community of users, the result is the selection of scientifically-backed ingredients, put into an evidence-based formula. The three-daily capsules are aimed at balancing hormones with vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil; improving mental clarity and energy levels with ginseng and vitamin B12; plus supporting cognitive function to bolster concentration using zinc and lemon balm, which is also thought to encourage a positive mood. The nervous system and muscles, meanwhile, benefit from magnesium, which helps fight fatigue too.
Buy now £26.00, Hormona
Wild Nutrition Food Grown Premenstrual Support
Founded by nutritionist and author Henrietta Norton, Wild Nutrition formulas are made from naturally-grown, raw food, meaning your body recognises and absorbs nutrients as if they were fruits or vegetables. These capsules tackle PMS in three essential ways: maintaining a positive outlook, hormone and energy support, plus skin health.
The ayurvedic herb ashwagandha helps boost energy and mental resilience, while vitamin B6 is included to support regular psychological function. B6 is also used to regulate hormones, as chromium provides the same function for blood glucose levels to sustain energy. To help protect skin cells and maintain skin health, zinc has been included too.
Take two per day, either morning or evening. And as the body recognises them as food, you don’t need to take them with a meal to be easily digested.
Buy now £35.00, Wild Nutrition
Youth & Earth PMS Hormone Support
This plant-based supplement from Youth & Earth is formulated around a core of active, traditional herbal extracts, each well-known for their ability to aid the hormonal system. Lady's mantle, for example, can help ease cramps and pains, particularly during a heavy period, while dong quai is said to help improve blood circulation around the pelvis, also easing symptoms.
Ashwagandha and shatavari are commonly used to relieve stress and anxiety. You’ll also find the spice ginger added in for its soothing and anti-bloating properties, as magnesium encourages relaxation to ease headaches and achy muscles, and vitamin B6 helps keep fluctuating hormones in check. Gentle but effective, this is a well-rounded, holistic option.
Buy now £34.99, Amazon
Bettervits PMS Complex
Citing its premium ingredients provided in potent doses, Bettervits is so confident in this supplement’s ability to tackle PMS effectively that it offers a 60-day money-back guarantee. Each pair of daily capsules is power-packed with essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins B5, B6 and B12 to aid energy production, harmonise mood and regulate the nervous system and cognitive function respectively.
Vitamins D and K2 have been shown to help reduce heavy bleeding, while calcium eases water retention and iron soothes aches and calms emotions. Magnesium, lemon balm and ashwagandha root are also added to the blend to help alleviate a hormonally-influenced blue mood.
Buy now £35.00, Amazon
Nutravita Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc and Vitamin D3
The three main minerals in this supplement, formulated by a team of pharmacologists, chemists and research scientists, are all fantastic for bolstering healthy bones and teeth, the immune system and muscle function. But although not specifically aimed at PMS, these vitamin and mineral-packed tablets also help ease many of the usual symptoms.
Taking two daily with a big glass of water will provide the full RDA of calcium to help reduce fatigue and tiredness; almost the same level of magnesium, which can help ease the aches and cramps of period pains as it’s critical for supporting muscles; plus vitamins D3 and B6 to work at lifting the mood and relieving depression.
Buy now £16.99, Amazon
Neals Yard Remedies Roses Pink Dried Herb
For a homemade natural remedy, try blending your own from these bulbs of rose damascena, the petals of the flower that are one of the most precious used for blending fine fragrances. Rose has long been used traditionally to help support hormonal balance in women during their cycle as well as to ease painful periods thanks to the flower’s anti-inflammatory properties.
Another traditional use for rose is to elevate a low or fraught mood, bringing back a sense of balance and joy, as well as replacing negativity with feelings of love and compassion. Put one or two teaspoons of petals into a saucepan with a cup of cold water, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain, cool a little and drink. With a sweet, delicate, floral taste, it’s refreshing, restorative and soothing.
Buy now £11.00, Neals Yard Remedies
Forage Botanicals Premenstrual Peace Drops
Forage Botanicals’ range of botanical tinctures, teas and a capsule beauty collection has been specifically created by medical herbalist and menstrual health expert Natasha Richardson to help treat period-related issues. Made from whole plant extracts for maximum benefits, macerated and added to an alcohol-free liquid, this tincture sends signals to the nervous system via our taste buds, so the effects are felt quickly.
To help counteract irritability, easily upset emotions and self-doubt, ingredients include calming passionflower and hawthorn berry, mood-boosting rose extract and liquorice, which is known to aid in regulating the body’s response to stress by supporting the axis of the hypothalamus, adrenal and pituitary glands. Mix 20 drops into a little water or drop directly onto the tongue.
Buy now £23.97, Forage Botanicals
Happy Mammoth EstroControl
Created with well-researched ingredients using science-backed studies, this supplement is aimed at helping the body to regulate and adapt to its own oestrogen level, which in turn can help soothe symptoms of PMS, including cramps and irritability, while supporting the menstrual cycle. This means it can also help with the effects of perimenopause, so it could be particularly beneficial as you move from one life stage of your cycle into another.
The range of ingredients, such as artichoke, burdock and milk thistle extracts to help support the liver and digestive systems as well as selenium to balance blood sugar and vitamin C to help absorb iron and boost the immune system, all contribute to overall wellness, cognitive health and balanced hormones.
Buy now £54.99, Happy Mammoth
Purolabs Hormone Balance
Vegan, vegetarian-friendly and made with non-GMO ingredients, these supplements are aimed at balancing the hormone-related symptoms that commonly occur during both PMS and perimenopause, allowing you to take just one helpful supplement to span that entire time.
Nine specially-selected vitamins, minerals and herbs are packed into the three-a-day capsules to be taken with food. They include the powerhouse duo of vitamin B6 to help ease mood swings and regulate hormones, plus magnesium to combat fatigue and stabilise energy levels. Kelp is included as it’s a rich source of iodine, a mineral crucial for thyroid function, while ginger is used too for the benefits it brings in easing nausea and bloating while encouraging digestion.
Buy now £29.99, Purolabs
Verdict
With just a handful of carefully selected but brilliantly beneficial ingredients, Wuka Hormone Support PMS Gummies offer a well-thought-through and effective way to tackle PMS. In this potent synergy of vitamin B6 and magnesium, physical symptoms of cramps and aching muscles are treated alongside emotional and mental side effects such as fatigue and fluctuating mood.
The addition of herbal remedy chaste tree berry extract for breast tenderness and bloating ensures it’s a 360-degree approach to all the annoyances that accompany PMS. And there couldn’t be a more pleasant way to tackle them than these yummy gummies.
