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Host: My teenage daughter gets severe menstrual cramps. What would you recommend to prevent them?
Dr. Stengler: We could have a whole show on that — it's a big topic. Usually in younger women, the problem with menstrual cramps comes down to low progesterone levels. Studies show that a lot of women, even from the age of 13 or 14 and on, do not ovulate regularly, and when you ovulate, your progesterone levels go up, which prevents the cramps in the first place — it has an antispasmodic effect. So what I would consider is the herb vitex, common in health food stores, which has been shown in numerous studies to help not only PMS but to prevent menstrual cramps. It does this by helping the signal from the brain to the ovaries work more efficiently, so you ovulate, get your own natural progesterone levels up, and prevent PMS and menstrual cramps. It's a very safe, effective way to do it, and in my opinion a much better way than the birth control pills, which a lot of doctors recommend. In more severe cases, we'll use natural progesterone cream, one to two weeks before the menstrual flow, which works very well — I've had many women with severe menstrual cramps and that takes care of the problem.
Host: Some herbs like cramp bark?
Dr. Stengler: Yes, acutely, if the problem comes on, cramp bark — the name kind of tells you what it's for. You can take the capsule form every 30 to 60 minutes for three or four doses, and that will help relieve the menstrual cramps. Do that along with a hot water bottle or some type of warm application over the uterus and abdomen. There's a lot women can do to help this problem. Especially with teenagers, it's really hard because their lifestyle isn't the greatest — probably not sleeping like they should, not eating like they should, not exercising like they should. If you improve their general lifestyle, they're going to feel better; studies show that.
Host: What about calcium and magnesium?
Dr. Stengler: Calcium and magnesium have been shown to prevent PMS, premenstrual syndrome, which menstrual cramps can be a part of, so yes, they have been shown to help.
What would Dr. Stengler recommend to prevent menstrual cramps for young women? There's a long answer to that question, but to keep it short: use the herb vitex. It's common in health food stores. In this 2-minute video, Dr. Stengler answers a question and discusses a few more options for teenagers and other women to address root causes and reduce severity of menstrual cramps.
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