For the
millions of women suffering from premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, every month,
relief could come from a diet high in iron-rich plant foods.
A 10-year
study published this week in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that
women who ate diets full of plants rich in iron were about one-third less
likely to develop PMS than women who consumed less iron.
Researchers
from the University of Massachusetts Amherst used data from the Nurses Health
Study II to assess the mineral intake of about 3,000 women aged 25 to 42 using
food questionnaires.
Risks of
developing PMS dropped significantly for women who consumed more than 20
milligrams of iron daily, with women who consumed nearly 50 miligrams having
the lowest risks of PMS. A slightly protective effect for women consuming more
than 10 mg of zinc daily was also seen.
But all iron
didn't have the same effect. It was primarily the iron found in plant foods and
in supplements, non-heme iron, that reduced a woman's chances of developing
PMS. The heme iron coming from animal sources, such as red meat and poultry,
did not have the same effect, the researchers say.
After
adjusting the data, the team found that the women who consumed the most non-heme
iron had up to a 40 percent reduced risk of PMS compared to the women who
consumed the least non-heme iron.
However, the
researchers emphasize that a balance of minerals is key: "It does look
like a range of minerals are important for menstrual cycle health and for
PMS," says Bertone-Johnson. "Women should consume a balanced diet,
and if they're not getting enough nutrients from their diet, they should take a
multivitamin."
(Relaxnews)
via Clovetwo.com
No comments: