Period pains (dysmenorrhoea, dysmenorrhea)

• Essential fatty acid deficiency
• Magnesium deficiency.

An assessment of the diets of 181 women with painful periods revealed that the problem was significantly worse among those with a low intake of dietary fish oils. Deutch B: Menstrual pain in Danish women correlated with low n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake. Eur J Clin Nutr 49(7):508-16, 1995.

In a randomized double-blind trial on 32 women with painful periods, those treated with magnesium supplements for six cycles had less back pain and lower abdominal pain on the second and third day of the cycle, and markedly less absence from work than the control group. Fontana-Klaiber H et al: Therapeutic effects of magnesium in dysmenorrhea (in German). Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax 79(16):491-4, 1990.

In a double-blind study, 21 out of 25 women with painful periods treated with magnesium supplements showed a reduction in symptoms. Seifert B et al: Magnesium - a new therapeutic alternative in primary dysmenorrhea (in German). Zentralbl Gynakol 111(11):755-60, 1989.

42 adolescents with painful periods were given either fish oil supplements or placebo. The fish oil group experienced a significant improvement in symptoms after 2 months. Harel Z et al: Supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the management of dysmenorrhoea in adolescents. Am J Obstet Gynecol 174(4):1335-8, 1996.