12 Reasons for Painful Periods
There are many reasons for painful periods. While period cramps are definitely common, that doesn’t mean that they are normal. Any sort of pain is a sign from your body to investigate that something is not working properly or something is out of balance.
Endometriosis is the extreme case of period pain and requires a medical diagnosis. This condition has life-disrupting period pain characterized by a growth of uterine tissue somewhere else in the body.
Here are 12 reasons for painful periods:
1. Prostaglandins
Prostaglandins are one of the reasons for painful periods. Prostaglandins are sex hormones that work in opposition with progesterone, so when progesterone decreases right before menstruation, then prostaglandin will increase. Their function is to cause the uterus to contract to shed the lining. During labor, these contractions help to push out the fetus, but otherwise, these contractions are what we consider cramps. Prostaglandins are involved in pain and inflammation. High levels of prostaglandins can mean more severe pain. When prostaglandins are high then progesterone levels are low, and this causes an imbalance between progesterone and estrogen which results in other common symptoms like breast tenderness, headaches, nausea, and fatigue.
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2. Estrogen and Progesterone Imbalances
Estrogen and progesterone imbalances are another one of the reasons for painful periods. Our hormones need to be in balance with each other in order to allow our bodies to function properly. When estrogen is elevated, then other hormones are suppressed, especially progesterone. When estrogen is high in relation to progesterone we call this estrogen dominance. Studies have shown benefits to endometriosis period pain when patients suppress estrogen levels. Additionally, when estrogen is high then prostaglandins increase which causes more painful periods. These imbalances can be caused by many of the factors listed below.
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3. Poor Estrogen Detoxification
Another one of the reasons for painful periods is poor estrogen detoxification. High estrogen is a promoter of period pain, so if you have a poor ability to detoxify or eliminate the estrogen, it will recirculate in the body and increase total estrogen levels. Higher estrogen can lead to estrogen dominance which is an imbalanced ratio of too much estrogen in comparison to progesterone. Detoxification of estrogen is a normal process that our liver, kidneys, and digestive system should be doing on their own, but these processes can slow down and not function right due to a number of reasons. There are 3 main steps to the detoxification process that must happen in order to eliminate the estrogen. First, the estrogen is converted into another compound, next, that compound is packaged up with the help of a nutrient like amino acid, and finally, that new compound is excreted from the body.
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4. Gut Issues
Gut issues are another one of the reasons for painful periods. The gut is a main step in the detoxification process. The gut is made up of a variety of different bacteria that aid digestion and are fueled by fiber. This bacteria is good, and we want a broad diversity of it in order to digest foods. Gut issues or (gut dysbiosis) is when there is an imbalance in the amount of these bacteria microorganisms in the intestines. This imbalance of bacteria is what causes period pain because the gut regulates estrogen through an enzyme that converts it into its active form for elimination, but when this process doesn’t work you can get an increase in recirculated estrogen. When the gut bacteria is not in balance this process can be defective which slows the digestion process and leads to higher estrogen levels which are why gut issues are and of the reasons for period pain.
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5. Stress
Another one of the reasons for painful periods is stress. Stress is a response in our body that occurs when there is a mild or severe threat. This stress response makes us produce higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, from the adrenal glands. Since it is a hormone if you have elevated levels of cortisol, this will imbalance estrogen and progesterone levels. As a result, stress can make period pain worse because it will promote the inflammatory response and will also deregulate the hypothalamic-pituitary axis response in the hippocampus. This is the part of the brain that releases hormones and that contributes to the reproductive system.
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6. Blood Sugar Issues
Blood sugar imbalances can contribute as one of the reasons for painful periods. This is because when you have unstable blood sugar with intense peaks and drops, you run the risk of insulin resistance. Insulin resistance occurs when the cells do not accept insulin when it tries to input glucose into the cell. This causes a hyperglycemic state as well as a high insulin state. Period pain can worsen with blood sugar imbalances because insulin will stimulate aromatase, which is the conversion of testosterone into estrogen. The increase in estrogen is a factor for exacerbating the symptoms of period pain.
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7. Caffeine
Another one of the reasons for painful periods is caffeine. Caffeine can increase the stress response in the body to promote inflammation and imbalanced hormone levels. Studies have found that caffeine consumption is linked with increased estrogen levels which can lead to estrogen dominance, slower estrogen detoxification, and period pain. In addition, in a study of college students, they found a significant correlation between caffeine consumption and painful periods. A possible mechanism is that since caffeine can raise your blood pressure, this main induce an inflammatory response causes pelvic pain during menstruation.
8. Nutrient Deficiencies
Many nutrients are used in the process of regulating, producing, and secreting sex hormones. Looking into nutrient deficiencies in yourself can give you a clue into one of the reasons for painful periods. Here are some common nutrients that you may be deficient in that are causing you to have painful periods.
Magnesium is an important mineral in the diet and has many beneficial effects for reducing endometriosis period pain. A study found that magnesium has been shown to relax smooth muscle in the pelvic region to reduce painful contractions and cramps. They also found that magnesium supplementation was linked with an inverse relationship to endometriosis risk. Magnesium is also an anti-inflammatory mineral, which explains its effect on reducing period pain. This shows that low magnesium can make the endometriosis period pain worse because then contractions will be more intense due to the unregulated strain on smooth muscle.
Omega 3 deficiency can be another one of the reasons for painful periods. Polyunsaturated fats are fatty acids that contain at least 2 double bonds in the structure. Two types of polyunsaturated fats are omega 3 and omega 6. Most western diets consume a ratio of 1:20 of omega 3 to omega 6 when it should be 1:3. This evidence is correlated with endometriosis period pain incidence, showing that omega 6’s are pro-inflammatory and promote the pain while omega 3’s have protective effects to decrease the pain caused by inflammation. Omega 3s have been found to inhibit the implantation of the endometrial tissue in the first place and to discourage further growth.
Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin used in the functions of creating red blood cells and it aids in macronutrient metabolism. Additionally, vitamin B6 has been broadly accepted over many studies to treat PMS symptoms including pelvic cramps. Estrogen metabolism is another one of the properties of Vitamin B6 which helps convert estrogen into its active form. This is why vitamin B6 deficiency can be one of the reasons for painful periods.
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9. Too Much Alcohol
Removing alcohol is an easy way to lower estrogen naturally. Alcohol can change the way our body eliminates estrogen, which can be what causes high estrogen when we over-consume alcohol. Studies have shown that this relationship is due to the fact that alcohol can decrease or slow the oxidation process of estrogen which inhibits the ability for it to turn into its preferred form to be eliminated. Additionally, estrogen and progesterone work on a balance system, when one is very elevated, the other one tends to drop low, so alcohol has been shown to decrease the levels of progesterone which causes high estrogen. By removing the alcohol, the progesterone levels can increase again, and which will lower estrogen naturally. This is why too much alcohol is one of the reasons for painful periods.
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10. Inflammation
Inflammation is another one of the reasons for painful periods. Inflammation occurs when your white blood cells sense an invader or an area of injury in the body, so they release chemicals to surge the area as well as increase blood flow there. Inflammation stimulates prostaglandins and hormone balances to induce period pain. In addition, when you have chronic inflammation the body needs to send you signals that something is wrong and needs to be fixed so increased contractions or cramps are a way to notify you that something is wrong.
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11. Genetics
Genetics is another one of the reasons for painful periods. Nerve growth factor has been identified to be a biomarker to tell a genetic role in pelvic pain. This is due to its connection to inflammation and how it can possibly predict reproductive diseases and conditions. This data suggests that period pain can be a genetic trait in families and can be passed down. It is important to note that just because period pain may be genetic in your family, does not mean you can’t treat it to ease symptoms.
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12. Products with Xenoestrogens
Toxic products contain xenoestrogens, which are chemicals that have a structure similar to estrogen. They are so similar that they can cause the same effects that our normal estrogen would in the body. These products can be one of the reasons for painful periods. This is why non-toxic products can help to lower estrogen naturally. You may not know, but many of your daily household items contain these xenoestrogens. Here are some examples of some products and ingredients to stay away from.
Examples of xenoestrogens:
Sunscreens: 4-methylbenzylidene (4-MBC) and Benzophenone
Shampoos, face washes and lotions: If they contain parabens
Plastic packaging: BPA, phthalates, DEHP, PCBs
Food: Artificial dyes, and BHA a preservative
Cleaning supplies: ammonia, nitrobenzene, formaldehyde, phenol,
Building Supplies: PCBs in paints and electrical oils
Insecticides: Atrazine weed killer, dieldrin, endosulfan
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