PMS and Natural Progesterone
What is PMS?
Dr. Katharina Dalton, a British physician, originally coined the term "premenstrual syndrome" (PMS) in 1953 and soon after established the world's first PMS clinic in London.
This syndrome certainly existed for many years before this time, but only in the last 50 has it been given attention as a medical disorder.
Premenstrual symptoms have been defined as physical, mood, and behavioral symptoms that:
1) appear or change in severity during the luteal phase (second half) of the menstrual cycle;
2) do not exist in the same form or severity during the mid or late follicular phase (first half of the menstrual cycle);
3) disappear or return to their usual severity during the full flow of menses (Halbreich et al 1985).
There have been over 100 symptoms attributed to PMS. Women can experience a variety of symptoms which may differ month to month or year to year.
PMS may be attributable to hormonal changes, inadequate nutrition, lack of exercise, and physical and/or emotional stress.
Researchers over the last forty years have identified four major types of PMS, determined by a woman's predominant symptoms.
Dr. Guy Abraham developed the following classification system to help identify and treat PMS:
Type A ("anxiety"): anxiety, mood swings, and irritability
Type C ("carbohydrate" or "craving"): sugar craving, headaches, and fatigue
Type H ("hyperhydration"): bloating, water retention, weight gain, breast tenderness
Type D ("depression"): depression, memory loss, and confusion
Some women have only one group of symptoms, while others suffer with a combination of two or more symptom groups. Many symptoms related to PMS can be attributed to "estrogen dominance," a relative excess of estrogen activity in the body.
Of the PMS types listed above, three may benefit from progesterone supplementation, to offset excessive estrogen activity: Types A, H, and C.Furthermore, every System in the Body can be affected by PMS: Immune, Digestive, Circulatory, Nervous, Endocrine and Dermatology (Skin) Systems. Victims of PMS may experience any combination of the above symptoms, in varying degrees of severity, from mild to overwhelming!
