More than 3 out of 4 women suffer from premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS sufferers experience back pain, acne, cramping, loss of sleep, aching breasts, headaches, joint pain, diarrhea, and bloating.
Cannabis has been used to reduce PMS symptoms as far back as the 9th century. In the 1800s, it was often prescribed for reasons related to female health, including cramping and PMS. Cannabis has been used by famous cramp sufferers like Queen Victoria in the 1800s, and while science is starting to catch up to the anecdotal evidence, there is a huge lack of double-blind trials when it comes to CBD (cannabidiol) research.
One of the reasons CBD is effective for PMS is because it addresses the scattershot of symptoms. Since CBD affects a wide variety of mechanisms in the body, it can address multiple things at once.
MDXclusive has physician recommended and trusted products to support your complaints. A transdermal CBD Patch absorbed through the skin into your blood stream or CBD Oil Drops that are quickly absorbed under the tongue are options for those who suffer with PMS.
What is PMS?
While PMS isn’t fully understood, most scientists concur that it has to do with the specific hormonal changes that occur at a certain point in the menstrual cycle. PMS lasts as few as 5 days and as many as 11 days before menstruation, and it often varies widely from month to month depending on external circumstances surrounding the woman.
While CBD generally helps with some of the symptoms of PMS, a lack of exercise and poor diet choices also exacerbate symptoms. It’s important to remain hydrated and eat a nutritious diet as a symptom reduction regimen.
The Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle begins with menstruation and is the recurring process by which a woman’s body prepares for pregnancy. An entire cycle begins the first day of your period and ends at the beginning of the next. It takes loosely a month to go through the whole cycle, though some women experience different lengths or irregular periods that aren’t easily tracked.
These are the phases of the menstrual cycle:
1. Menstruation: This is your period. Your body is low on estrogen and progesterone as your uterine lining is being shed.
2. Follicular Phase: From the first day of menstruation until ovulation, the body raises estrogen levels in preparation for egg release.
3. Proliferative Phase: Uterine lining regrows.
4. Ovulation: The egg is released by the ovary. Estrogen levels peak.
5. Luteal Phase: Between ovulation and the next menstruation, the body is preparing for a pregnancy. Progesterone levels are highest.
6. Secretory Phase: In the case of nonpregnancy, the lining of the uterus prepares to shed.
Estrogen is important to female health. As it rises, the uterine lining thickens, and ovulation occurs in preparation for pregnancy. If a pregnancy doesn’t occur, estrogen levels lower and menstruation happens. When estrogen levels are high, it breaks down cannabinoids. When estrogen levels are lower, it boosts the endocannabinoid system.
Symptoms of PMS can start occurring early and heighten as menstruation starts. Hormones change rapidly depending on where a woman is at in her cycle, which is a major factor in the development of symptoms. Serotonin levels in the brain are also lower during PMS which contributes to sleep issues and depression.