At the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre, our IV Lounge can help replenish your body with nutrients. In turn, treating vitamin and mineral deficiencies may help reduce the severity of PMS symptoms, such as cramping.  

Pain during the menstrual cycle is called dysmenorrhea, and it involves throbbing aches in the lower abdomen, back and thighs. The pain can be detrimental to the point that it impacts relationships, family, and job performance, hindering daily activities and quality of life. 

When the source of health concerns is addressed with tailored strategies, this can help manage biological shortcomings and prevent chronic illness. This is how our integrative functional approach to wellness can provide relief for cramping, while potentially targeting the root cause. Our Toronto IV Lounge and functional medicine practice highlights frequently asked questions and answers about dysmenorrhea, while explaining the impacts of hormonal imbalances and nutrition.  

FAQs: The Functional Medicine Approach to Menstrual Cramps

Q: Why does menstrual cramping happen? 

A. When heavy contractions occur before or during a period, pressure is put on the nearest blood vessels. Oxygen is then temporarily cut off from the uterus, which can trigger painful periods. Menstrual pain can be exacerbated by other medical conditions, too, such as endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and fibroids. Also, unbalanced hormone levels can trigger painful periods. Due to the numerous causes of cramping, visits with a health practitioner (i.e. family doctor or naturopathic doctor) are needed to rule out underlying health concerns. 

Q: What do hormones have to do with period pain? 

A. Prostaglandins can influence menstrual pain. High amounts of prostaglandins cause the uterus to contact; the contractions further boost the production of prostaglandins, which alters hormone levels during a period. Some prostaglandins will enter the blood stream and cause additional discomforts, such as diarrhea and nausea. Estrogen dominance can exacerbate period pain, too, as high estrogen amounts can increase prostaglandin production. Estrogen dominance tends to arise during perimenopause, which means that menstrual cramping isn’t only limited to young women. 

Q: Can nutrition and diet contribute to menstrual pain?  

A. The amounts of nutrients in the human body can potentially affect menstruation, including cramps. For example, “Calcium regulates the ability of muscle cells to respond to nerve stimulation and acts as a stabilizing agent. Decreased calcium levels can lead to muscle spasms and contractions,” verifies an Obstetrics & Gynecology Science article. Vitamin D can also affect period pain. It has a crucial part in regulating prostaglandins, so when you lack vitamin D, prostaglandin levels can increase and worsen cramping. 

Thus, your diet may have a role in the severity of cramping. What you eat must replenish key nutrients that you’ve already used up in the body. But the Western diet is loaded with preservatives and dyes, which sacrifices nutritional values. If you don’t regularly eat a healthy, balanced diet, a nutritional deficiency may ensue. Not to mention, a poor diet can contribute to chronic inflammation, which can bolster period pain. 

Q: How do functional lab tests affect treatment plans related to menstrual cramps?

A. Functional medicine testing is accessible at some integrated clinics, such as ours. These tests provide a glimpse of your bodily functions (i.e. cellular functioning, hormone levels, blood sugar levels, etc.), and the results help personalize treatment plans with oral supplementation and/or vitamin drips, dietary changes, nutrient injection treatments (i.e. vitamin D injections), etc. To treat your menstrual cramps, a functional practitioner may first discuss lab testing. Examples of these tests include:  

• • The DUTCH Complete: Dried urine samples are used to quantify estrogen and progesterone levels. The test can identify details that cannot be captured by conventional blood tests, and is suitable for scrutinizing the potential causes of PMS symptoms, such as cramping. 

• • Organic acid testing (OAT): This test is designed to identify over 1,000 organic acids, along with the presence of yeast and mold and nutrient deficiencies. Scrutinizing these factors can help health practitioners suggest suitable therapies. 

Q: Can supplements help with addressing menstrual pain?

A. Supplements can promote positive effects as complementary health tools. You can discuss this further with your functional medicine doctor, and some of these supplements may be considered:  

• • Oral supplements with vitamins and minerals: Depending on lab results, tablets or capsules from reputable nutraceutical producers may be recommended. For example, vitamin E supplementation has shown to reduce period cramps when taken a few days before and after a period begins. 
  • Herbs: A wide range of herbs may be advantageous for cramping. Several herbs are known to fight inflammation; one example is chamomile, as it’s been studied for its anti-spasmodic properties. 
  • IV therapy drips: Adjunct intravenous therapy support  may promote beneficial effects when added to a regime of healthy meals, regular exercise, and oral supplementation. Intravenous drips allow for nutrients to rapidly enter your blood stream without the digestive process. Since the digestive tract isn’t affected, you get a full absorption of nutrients and you decrease your chances of getting an upset stomach, which may be a side effect of taking tablets.

With our patient-centered level of care, we can introduce you to oral supplements and vitamin IV therapy. We can guide you on suitable supplements for your health goals, as medication interactions can come with some herbs, vitamins, and trace minerals. Personalize your therapeutic treatment today!

Suggested reading: Boost Metabolism with 7 Foods Praised by Our IV Therapy Toronto Providers

Customize your vitamin therapy at the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre

Functional treatment plans are designed to target individual health needs. Our functional medicine practitioners are experienced at adapting therapies for various needs, such as hormonal imbalances, joint pain, chronic fatigue, menstrual pain, anti-aging effects for promoting healthy skin, along with integrated cancer care and food sensitivities. 

Our clinic’s IV Lounge is for patients who have nutritional drip prescriptions, which can be provided by our IV therapist/naturopathic doctor. A custom-made IV drip from us is strategically dosed with functional medicine principles – your doses of nutrients are meant for you only! Our menu offers key ingredients, such as folic acid, NAD+, amino acids, and various essential vitamins, including vitamin A, C (ascorbic acid), and E. Our IV vitamin drips do not contain preservatives, and are blended with natural ingredients in-house – this ensures you get a fresh intravenous treatment for all sessions. 

IV therapy drips are for adjunctive purposes only. When drips are administered, daily oral supplementation, a balanced diet, and other treatment modalities should be continued. An initial consult is needed before receiving your first IV drip from us; this is to rule out medication interactions and allergies to the nutritional drip solution. Once we prescribe IV nutrient therapy to you, you can get your drip immediately or booked for another day. 

When combined with a healthy diet, exercise, and additional treatments, IV therapy from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre may support optimal functioning. Simply send us a message to meet our health team.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. You should always consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of information you have read from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website or other affiliate media. 

 

References

Abdi, F., Amjadi, M. A., Zaheri, F., & Rahnemaei, F. A. (2021). Role of vitamin D and calcium in the relief of primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review. Obstetrics & Gynecology Science, 64(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.5468/ogs.20205

Amzajerdi, A., Keshavarz, M., Ghorbali, E. et al. The effect of vitamin D on the severity of dysmenorrhea and menstrual blood loss: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Women’s Health 23, 138 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02284-5

Grandi, G., Ferrari, S., Xholli, A., Cannoletta, M., Palma, F., Romani, C., Volpe, A., & Cagnacci, A. (2012). Prevalence of menstrual pain in young women: What is dysmenorrhea? Journal of Pain Research, 5, 169. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S30602

InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2006-. Overview: Period pain. [Updated 2023 May 12]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279324/

Khalesi, Z. B., Beiranvand, S. P., & Bokaie, M. (2019). Efficacy of Chamomile in the Treatment of Premenstrual Syndrome: A Systematic Review. Journal of Pharmacopuncture, 22(4), 204. https://doi.org/10.3831/KPI.2019.22.028

“Menstrual pain” from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, viewed on November 20, 2024. 

Nagy H, Carlson K, Khan MAB. Dysmenorrhea. [Updated 2023 Nov 12]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560834/

“Using Foods Against Menstrual Pain”, a fact sheet from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, viewed on November 19, 2024.