Another natural route to
period cramp relief is taking
fish oil supplements, vitamin
B1, or both, according to
research published in
September 2014 in theGlobal
Journal of Health Science.
Scientists assigned 240 teens
with menstrual cramps and
other pain to take B1 and fish
oil, B1 alone, fish oil alone,
or a placebo. The teens took
100 milligrams (mg) per day
of B1 and 500 mg daily of
fish oil supplements.
When the teens reported their
pain, those taking either the
fish oil, B1, or both had
significantly less pain than
the placebo group. The pain
also didn't last as long if they
took fish oil or B1.
Needle Away Period
Cramps
Acupuncture can help relieve
cramps, says Jeannie Bianchi,
a licensed acupuncturist in
San Francisco. "We're
relaxing the nervous system,"
she says, which causes more
robust blood flow to the
internal organs. The
acupuncture is thought to
have an anti-inflammatory
effect.
In a January 2011 Cochrane
review, experts looked at six
studies that studied
the effects of acupuncture on
period cramps. They
compared acupuncture with
no treatment or conventional
treatment (such as antiinflammatory drugs) on 673
women. And in another four
studies, they compared the
effects of acupuncture versus
no treatment or conventional
treatment in 271 women.
Overall, they found that both
acupuncture and acupressure
could reduce pain, but