So many symptoms, so little time. They range from anxiety, irritability, depression, and anger, to fatigue, hot flashes, constipation, and diarrhea. But let’s not leave out breast tenderness, difficulty concentrating, food cravings, and forgetfulness. Or backache, swollen feet, and headaches. I could go on ad nauseum (another symptom). To encounter the full range of PMS possibilities, you’d need to put your life on hold and take a sabbatical from sanity.
But you certainly wouldn’t be alone. Encompassing 150 different symptoms, premenstrual syndrome affects roughly 80 percent of women in the U.S. Of this group, up to 40 percent feel noticeably challenged by it, whether physically or emotionally. With a current population of about 300 million, half of it female, that adds up to about 48 million American women every single month.

Let’s not forget the collateral damage, if you will. Friends, family, and loved ones—the unwary—are caught in the crossfire. And there we are—lousy with hormones, ricocheting between cliche and reality.

A Path Through PMS

What’s at the crux of it all? Most PMS symptoms are a result of shifting hormones, specifically estrogen and progesterone. Generally it seems the condition is one of too much estrogen, not enough progesterone, or both. What causes the imbalance is open to question, but what’s undeniable is that many women feel the effects every month, anywhere from a couple of days to two weeks before menstruation.

Another possible PMS factor is serotonin. Some evidence indicates that estrogen levels affect our body’s supply of serotonin, the “feel-good” hormone, and studies have shown reduced levels of serotonin in women with PMS. When serotonin plummets, so does mood, leading to depression and mood swings.

“Certainly, no other named condition in women is so common and so little understood, and yet contains so many significant pieces to our lives,” says Tori Hudson, ND, author of the Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.

A combination of homeopathic remedies, herbs, and vitamins—together with a modified diet and exercise—can have a positive effect on a range of physical and emotional symptoms.

Here Comes That Mood Swing

An overachiever in the pantheon of PMS remedies, chaste tree (or chasteberry, Vitex agnus castus) deserves special mention, and should be considered “the single most important plant for the treatment of premenstrual syndrome,” according to Dr. Hudson. Its progesterone-like effects help balance out hormonal fluctuations, and in a 16-year study of 1,542 women, 92 percent showed improvement of PMS symptoms. Besides depression, chaste tree eases breast tenderness and cramps. Take 40 drops daily.

St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) is well known for enhancing mood, so it’s no surprise that it shows promise for PMS by helping to alleviate depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Herbalist James A. Duke calls it “one of the finest depression-fighting medicines humanity has ever seen.” Consider taking 300 mg standardized extract three times daily.

Vitamin B6 also takes on a range of PMS symptoms, and has since the 1940s. This powerhouse increases the synthesis of important brain neurotransmitters, including the “feel-good” serotonin. Take 50 to 100 mg daily, in 50 mg doses. Another mood booster, black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) may actually function as a mild serotonin reuptake inhibitor, making it a natural for relieving depression, tension, and anxiety. Take 40 mg three times daily. For PMS-related depression, you may also consider omega-3 rich essential fatty acids (EFAs) or homeopathic Pulsatilla.

It’s a fine (and touchy) line between depression and irritability, but several remedies cross over comfortably. EFAs boost levels of an important prostaglandin (hormone-like substance) that appears to be deficient in those with PMS. Evening primrose oil, for example, has been shown to have a significant effect over placebo in relieving irritability as well as depression, headaches, and breast tenderness. Take 3 to 4 g daily. Alternatively, use homeopathic Sulphur on those irritable days when you’ve also got a headache and your body feels hot and itchy all over.

The amino acid tryptophan appears to address it all—anxiety, depression, and irritability. A veritable United Nations of PMS peacekeeping, it’s a precursor to serotonin. Studies indicate dramatic reductions in mood swings, tension, aggression, and carb cravings. Take 6 g daily, from ovulation to the third day of menstruation.

If you’re feeling anxious or fearful at night, consider taking homeopathic Phosphorus. This remedy eases weepiness for women who have long-lasting but light periods and may experience indigestion or vomiting. Last but not least, magnesium may help ease tension and anxiety.

Let’s Get Physical

It would be quite enough to deal with the emotional side of PMS, but wait, there’s more. Physical symptoms run the gamut from bloating to migraines. Here, too, relief may be just a remedy away.

Swollen, bloated, or just hoping someone will wring you out? The homeopathic remedy Apis helps with swelling in the hands, legs, and abdomen. It’s also effective for those tearful, angry, whiney moments when you (and those around you) find it difficult to concentrate. Chaste tree and EFAs may also help address bloating.

In addition to its emotional benefits, homeopathic Pulsatilla can alleviate diarrhea, indigestion, and chills. Other symptoms that will guide you to this remedy include having a dry mouth but no thirst. Besides treating nausea and vomiting, homeopathic Natrum muriaticum (or Natrum mur) relieves migraine-like headaches and irritability; consider this remedy if you find yourself craving salt. Phosphorus is another homeopathic solution for PMS discomfort.

Effective at relieving migraines, magnesium has been shown to significantly improve symptoms of PMS in several studies. (Low levels of magnesium in red blood cells have been noted in patients with PMS.) This mineral is also important in metabolizing EFAs and vitamin B6; a study that combined 50 mg of B6 with 200 mg of magnesium helped reduce PMS anxiety. And magnesium is no slouch at taking on bloat, either. Try 300 mg daily.

A supplement tweak here, a dietary adjustment there (see sidebar “Secret Weapons”), and many sufferers will begin to feel welcome relief from the most common symptoms of PMS. You’ve got an arsenal of remedies at your disposal.