Hey girls! I came across this article and thought i would pass it on as I find that this is very true to what happens to me. I always just presumed it was coincidence…seemly not! Any other ladies suffer the same. Men I did warn you not to read this if you dont like lady bits :P
IBS, IBD, and PMS
Having the big ‘D’ during your period? You’re not alone.
By Amber J. Tresca, About.com
Updated: January 15, 2008
If you’ve found that your irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) acts up when you have your period — you’re not alone. Many women find that they experience more severe symptoms such as diarrhea and pain before or during their menstrual cycle.
What’s going on?
Researchers think that this increase in symptoms has a connection to hormones. The amount of diarrhea experienced by women with both IBD and IBS increases during the days before and during their period. Two compounds are being considered for causing this effect — prostaglandins and progesterone.
There are several different types of prostaglandins that have different functions in the body. Some, called Series 2 Prostaglandins, are associated with changes in the bowel that stimulate diarrhea during menses. They can actually stimulate pain, and interfere with absorption in the intestines. These prostaglandins could also be responsible for causing the smooth muscle in the intestine to contract, causing pain and diarrhea.
The fluctuation of hormones before and during a women’s period may also be to blame. It has been theorized that the colon could be reacting to the increase or the decrease in progesterone in the body.
What can be done?
Evening primrose oil (EPO) was been found to help women decrease IBS symptoms during the pre-menstrual and menstrual phases of their cycle. EPO contains an essential fatty acid called gamma linolenic acid (GLA).
The body does not produce essential fatty acids–they can only be ingested through food. GLA and omega-3 fatty acids together produce a second type of prostaglandins, called E1 series. This type of prostaglandin helps reduce inflammation and aids in digestion.
The optimum dose of EPO per day is still unknown. 3,000 mg to 6,000 mg of EPO (given over 3 separate doses during the day) can contain 270-540 mg of GLA — an amount often used in research. EPO is generally considered safe, but it should be taken with food to avoid nausea. People with temporal lobe epilepsy should never take EPO.
