Women’s Herbal Wisdom
(Page 2 of 7)
March/April 2005
By Linda B. White, M.D.
A thoroughly researched article published in the May 2003 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology reviewed an integrative approach to PMS. One of the three authors is Roberta Lee, M.D., the medical director of the Continuum Center for Health and Healing in New York. For her patients with PMS, Lee first encourages healthy lifestyle habits — diet, exercise and sufficient sleep. Based upon the available research and her clinical experience, she counsels women to emphasize dietary intake of legumes, vegetables, whole grains and cold-water fish (which contain inflammation-lowering omega-3 fatty acids) and to limit intake of red meat, sugar, salt and caffeine. Another lifestyle habit — regular exercise — is cheap and has been shown to improve all symptoms of PMS. “These basic lifestyle changes can help significantly change symptoms of PMS,” Lee says. If these changes aren’t effective, she turns to vitamins and herbs.
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Low levels of calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6 have been implicated in PMS. Research published in The Annals of Pharmacotherapy in 1999 suggests that supplementation may help. Lee recommends 1,200 mg of calcium, 400 to 800 mg of magnesium, and 50 to 100 mg B6 a day.
Best PMS Herbs
Vitex (Vitex agnus-castus), also known as chaste tree berry because of a historical misbegotten belief that the dried fruit promoted chastity, helps balance female hormones. Specifically, it acts on the pituitary gland to promote luteinizing hormone (which stimulates the ovaries to produce progesterone) and reduce prolactin (which interferes with estrogen and progesterone).
“Chaste tree is the quintessential women’s herb,” says Kari Radoff, clinical herbalist at Apothecary Tinctura, a Denver herb store that specializes in women’s health. “It’s excellent for cyclical changes — acne, spotting, breast tenderness, PMS and irregular cycles.”
Indeed, nine studies have shown that extracts of this herb can reduce PMS symptoms, according to The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs (American Botanical Council, 2003). It also helps relieve breast tenderness and control acne. Extracts also may help restore regular menstruation in women whose menses have become irregular or stopped due to hormonal imbalances.
Vitex does not have immediate effects. Radoff recommends a minimum of three months of continuous use. Although this herb can be taken once each morning at a dose of 6 droppersful of tincture (6 ml, or just more than a teaspoon), Radoff prefers taking two to three droppersful two to three times a day. Sometimes she combines vitex with another hormonal herb, such as dong quai (Angelica sinensis), nerve tonics such as oat straw (Avena sativa) and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), and liver tonics such as dandelion root (Taraxacum officinale).
According to Lee, anti-inflammatory herbs such as ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric (Curcuma longa) and boswellia (Boswellia serrata) can reduce premenstrual breast tenderness and cramping. Radoff says other traditional cramp-relieving herbs include black haw (Viburnum prunifolium,) cramp bark (V. opulus), catnip (Nepeta cataria) and wild yam (Dioscorea villosa).
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