Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and vitamin B3
PMS affects more than 70% to 90% of premenopausal women in the US and less so in Southeast Asian women due to their difference in lifestyle and social structure. It is defined as a defective function of the ovaries related to a woman’s menstrual cycle, affects a woman’s physical and emotional state and sometimes interferes with daily activities as a result of hormonal fluctuation. The syndrome occurs one to two weeks before menstruation and then subsides when the period begins. In this article, we will discuss how vitamin B3 helps treat PMS.
Vitamin B3, also known as nicotinic acid or niacin, is one of the members of the vitamin B complex that acts and interacts to promote the effectiveness of each member. It has 2 other forms, niacinamide (nicotinamide) and inositol hexanicotinate, which have different effects than niacin.
II. How Vitamin B3 Affects Women With PMS
1. Carbohydrate metabolism
Vitamin B3 is important in helping our body convert carbohydrates into energy, which is vital for our body’s daily activity. Vitamin B3 deficiency causes irregular function of enzyme formation, leading to fatigue, tiredness, and nervous symptoms in women with PMS.
2. Glucose metabolism
In addition to helping our body in the metabolism of carbohydrates, vitamin B3 also helps convert glucose into energy. Vitamin B3 deficiency decreases glucose metabolism in our body, resulting in an imbalance of sugar levels in the bloodstream, leading to cravings and nervous symptoms.
3. Blood sugar regulation
It also helps regulate the level of sugar in the blood and helps the liver in the elimination of toxins, which improves liver function by regulating the function of the pancreas in the production of insulin.
4. Nervous system
The researchers found that most women with PMS and children with autism are deficient in vitamin B3, which leads to nervous tension including irritability, aggressiveness, depression and learning difficulties.
5. Improve circulation system
Vitamin B3 is also essential for improving the function of the circulatory system in transporting vital nutrients and oxygen to our bodies by lowering levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides, which promotes general health and therefore reduces symptoms of heart disease. Premenstrual syndrome.