Vitamin B Deficiency and the Menstrual Cycle

Vitamin B consists of the eight B-group water soluble vitamins vital to the different metabolic processes of the body. Vitamin B nutrients must be obtained regularly through a balanced diet, as most of them cannot be stored by the body.

Vitamin B occurs naturally in our food, and is an essential part of our diet. It helps various bodily functions, including energy production and red blood cell production. Without Vitamin B, the body lacks enough energy to function regularly and is unable to utilize energy-yielding nutrients.

What Is a Vitamin B Deficiency?

Vitamin B deficiency occurs when the body is lacking enough vitamin B to produce its regular functions. The common symptoms of a vitamin B deficiency may vary depending on which vitamin is lacking, but they can range from fatigue to confusion to anemia or a weakened immune system. In some cases, vitamin B deficiencies can also affect the menstrual cycle.

Vitamin B and Menstruation

Vitamin B is a helpful vitamin when it comes to our menstrual cycles. B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12 make up the B-complex vitamins, and all of these can play a part in assuaging symptoms of the menstrual cycle. Vitamin B is typically noted to be a good source for period pain relief. Vitamin B6 can regulate our period cycles.

B1 and B2 can help provide energy during this time of the month, when energy levels are particularly lackluster. Lacking these particular vitamins can exacerbate tiredness during your period.

Vitamin B3 can help balance our moods during PMS, and also give us less fatigue and less cramping. A Vitamin B3 deficiency may worsen the effects of PMS, and make us particularly crampy or irritable.

Vitamin B6 and B7 help restore the hormonal balance during the stages of the cycle, as well as assisting with many of the PMS symptoms. Without Vitamin B, you may exhibit added breast tenderness, fluid retention, irritability, cravings, and fatigue. Vitamin B7 deficiencies can cause worsened cramps and tiredness, since B7 is involved in producing amino acids and alleviating pain.

Vitamin B9 is known to be involved in the metabolic processes of the body, and have been shown to improve mental and emotional health. Vitamin B9 deficiencies can cause the symptoms of your period to wreak havoc on your emotional state, worsening depression, anxiety, and mood swings. It is also a part of the body’s production of melatonin, so without B9, you may have trouble sleeping.

B12 is known as the stress vitamin, as it is used by every system in the body and helps boost energy. B12 is unlike the other B vitamins in that it can be stored in the body.

A deficiency in B12 can result in energy loss and fatigue, as well as an overall imbalance in the normal bodily functions. Vitamin B12 deficiencies can also cause a number of health problems such as anemia, gastrointestinal issues, and neurological disorders.

Vitamin B is also important for regulating the flow of your period. Since vitamin B is needed for the liver to convert the excess of estrogen into weaker forms, it can aid the production of prostaglandins, which can effectively reduce heavy and abnormal bleeding. Without vitamin B, the body will be more apt to produce the detrimental prostaglandins that can increase the amount of bleeding during your period.

Where Can You Get Vitamin B?

Vitamin B sources can be found in the foods we eat. How we get our daily vitamin B intake can be tricky, as many of the vitamin B-rich foods often lose their vitamin richness through the alcohol and cooking process. Food processing can also reduce the amount of vitamin B in a food. Due to this, wholegrain flours, breads, and rice are much more nutritious than their white counterparts.

Supplemental vitamins are offered for people who wish to increase their vitamin B intake and maintain a healthy diet.