Like so many other conditions found in this modern world, menstrual cramps are a result of diet. In this case, it is easy to correct with a simple dietary addition.
The short answer…
Omega three fatty acids.
The reason
Omega three fatty acids are the body’s only natural anti-inflammatory. They come from fatty fish like salmon and tilapia. Plant sources like walnuts, flax oil and borage oil can help, but fish oils work the best, and the plant sources don’t always help.
Any time there is pain there is inflammation. That is why drugs like ibuprofen help so much, they stop inflammation. However, like all drugs, ibuprofen puts a toxic load on the liver. In too great a dose it can even be lethal. It may be good for quick relief, but you would be much better off if you take omega three fatty acids on a regular basis ending the problem naturally. Besides, they are good for many other things like preventing heart disease, helping with skin conditions and much more.
How long does it take?
It takes up to three months for fish oil to stop menstrual cramps. In many cases it only takes one month to notice a significant change. Women who experience monthly cramping are probably pretty low, so a high dose for a month or two can be a good idea. I have seen people test for as much as six of the 1,000 mg gel caps twice a day, though I wouldn’t take that high of a dose for more than six weeks as it can be hard on the gall bladder. A maintenance dose of two caps twice a day is good. Or, eat fatty fish two or three times a week.
How to avoid fishy after taste
One of the biggest complaints about fish oils is the unpleasant taste from burping them up. The solution is to get supplements with an enteric coating. This means that they open up in the small intestines instead of in the stomach. This is preferable for absorption too. You can avoid the extra cost by freezing the regular gel caps. Take them after eating and don’t eat anything else for at least an hour and a half. This works most of the time. The problem with the freezing method is that it is easy to forget to take them.
Another helper is a daily dose vitamin E. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps the fish oils stay fresh on their way to doing their job. 400 IU is usually enough.
The information on this website is presented for educational purposes and is not a substitute for the advice of and treatment by a qualified professional.
OMG! Since coming across this article, I took the liberty to go to walmart and stake up on fish oil since for some reason its only 88 cents…yeah, thats $20 well spent, i cannot believe how easy it was to get rid of my cramps!!
Godgift, I hope it helps! Let me know — if it doesn’t I can give another technique.
Tierra, It’s hard to tell exactly because it’s very individual. If you have not been eating fish or taking fish oils then you could need as much as 12 grams a day to build up. Only for a month though. The maintenance dose is two grams a day. 4oo IU or so of vitamin E. Astaxanthin is actually better, something I learned since writing this article.
Really glad to hear this worked so well for you, Andi!