Contents:
- Medical Video: Heavy Period Medical Course
- Has there been evidence of iron alleviating PMS symptoms?
- So, what is the daily intake of iron needed by women?
Medical Video: Heavy Period Medical Course
PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) often makes women experience bloating, abdominal pain, or changes in mood before starting menstruation. However, recently a study in the United States found that foods or supplements containing iron can help alleviate the condition. Is it true that iron alleviates PMS symptoms? Consider the following review.
Has there been evidence of iron alleviating PMS symptoms?
Reported from Live Science, PMS affects 8 to 15 percent of women in their reproductive years, characterized by physical and emotional symptoms such as pain in the breast, flatulence, changes in appetite, depression, irritability, and anxiety.
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst found that women with iron intake of more than 20 mg per day had a 35 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with PMS than women who had iron intake of 10 mg per day. The lowest risk of PMS is in women who consume 50 mg per day.
Most likely iron is involved in many processes in the body. Therefore, iron may play a role in reducing emotional pain and symptoms when PMS occurs by increasing levels of brain chemicals called serotonin. Because other studies have conducted research that serotonin is closely related to PMS symptoms.
Subsequent research followed around 3,000 women aged 25-42 years who were enrolled in a Nurse Health Study in the United States that was collected for 10 years. The study linked the influence of women's diet and lifestyle on PMS health. As a result, 1,075 women reported experiencing PMS while the rest did not experience this. From these data, women who consumed non-heme iron had a 40 percent lower risk of PMS compared to women who consumed less non-heme iron.
But keep in mind that not all iron in the food is the same. Non-heme iron is only found in plant foods and supplements. Iron derived from animal sources, such as red meat and poultry does not have the same effect.
According to a senior study author, Elizabeth Bertone-Johnson, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, women must eat a balanced diet. If you can't get enough nutrition from food, you can take supplements as instructed by your doctor.
In addition to iron, other minerals such as zinc also provide little protection for women from the risk of PMS if they consume more than 10 mg per day before menstruation.
However, not all minerals such as iron relieve PMS symptoms. Research has found that high potassium intake actually increases the risk of PMS because it increases hormone levels associated with water retention. Potassium is usually found in sweet potatoes, bananas, and oranges. However, the effects of potassium on PMS still have to be studied further according to the researchers.
So, what is the daily intake of iron needed by women?
According to Nutritional Adequacy Rates, women aged 13 to 49 who are still menstruating are advised to consume 26 mg of iron every day. When approaching PMS, chances are that the body needs more iron than that. Because during heavy or prolonged menstruation will eliminate iron in the body can even cause anemia, quoted from Everyday Health, dr. Maryam Siddiqui, an obstetrician and obstetrician from the University of Chicago Medicine.
Reporting from WebMD, Dr. Fredic Moon, director of general obstetrics and gynecology medicine at New York University (NYU) Winthrop Hospital in the United States, suggests that women need to see a doctor before starting any type of supplement to add iron. While iron levels can be checked with a simple blood test.
Clinical nutritionist from NYU Center for Musculoskeletal Care, Samantha Heller agreed. "It is important to talk to your doctor before completing with any minerals," he said. "Too much iron can cause serious problems, and supplementing with something like zinc can trigger your copper balance. Do not get disturbed body balance. Therefore, women must be wise before taking supplements. "
Samantha Heller added, "If a woman wants to switch to a more plant-based diet, this can contribute generally to reducing oxidative stress and swelling, which can help reduce PMS symptoms, heart disease, and other conditions."
