Calcium Can Help with PMS Symptoms

A study published in 1998 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that vitamin D and calcium levels in the blood dropped just before menstruation. Women who boosted their daily intake of calcium to 1,200 mg saw a 48 percent reduction in premenstrual symptoms, and had
less PMS then women who had lower calcium levels.

1,200 to 1,500 mg of calcium a day can reduce emotional, physical, and behavioral PMS symptoms, such as depression, mood swings, and menstrual cramps. In fact, researchers as the College of Pharmacy, Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia found that “only calcium had good quality evidence to support its use in PMS,” KVAL news reported.

Research published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that eating breakfast was one of the best ways to get enough calcium. Foods rich in calcium include milk, cheese, and yogurt, but also tofu, kale, soymilk and almonds. Canned salmon, with bones, as well as spinach, broccoli, and beans are another good source of this important nutrient.

Calcium and vitamin D are also thought to decrease the risk of developing some cancers and osteoporosis later in life, so researchers and physicians are considering recommending supplements and calcium rich food choices to younger women.