The B Vitamins are a collective group of vitamins that are vital for the body to function properly. They consist of vitamins B1 known as thiamine, vitamin B2 known as riboflavin, vitamin B3 known as niacin, vitamin B5 known as pantothenic acid, vitamin B6 known as pyridoxal, vitamin B7 known as biotin, vitamin B9 known as folic acid, and vitamin B12 known as cobalamins.

These vitamins can be put together to form something known as a B-complex. A B-complex is a combination of these vitamins formulated with the right levels based on recommended daily allowances and put into a single pill for ease of use. However, each vitamin can be taken individually as well.

Each of these vitamins plays an important role in the body and each can have a specific role in PMS. The B vitamins are considered to be water-soluble vitamins. This means that the body takes in these vitamins, uses what it needs and flushes the rest out of the body through the urinary system. Since the body does not store B vitamins, it is essential that people get enough B vitamins in their diets or a deficiency can occur easily.

Vitamin B is essential for metabolism function, maintaining healthy skin, supporting the immune system, formation of red blood cells, and many other functions in the body.
In a study conducted by the Palmer College of Chiropractic and published in the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, It was found that a vitamin B-complex deficiency has a direct correlation with menorragia, or heavy bleeding.

This occurs because the liver is unable to control the estrogen levels when it is not supplied with enough vitamin B-complex. Vitamin B-complex was shown to level out the estrogen levels and help to regulate heavy bleeding. Vitamin B-complex is essential for the regulation of estrogen levels in the body. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

When estrogen levels fluctuate, PMS occurs so by increasing the levels of certain B vitamins, PMS symptoms can be avoided.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 has many health benefits and PMS symptom benefits. Vitamin B6 is responsible for maintaining normal nerve function, carrying oxygen to the tissues through red blood cells, and regulation of hormone levels. Since hormone fluctuations are a direct cause of PMS, by getting a sufficient level of B6 in the body, estrogen levels are not allowed to fluctuate thus, preventing PMS from occurring.

Since B6 helps to make the hemoglobin that transports oxygen through the blood to the tissues and organs of the body, vitamin B6 is required to keep water retention levels down and mitigate the pain associated with cramping.

A study conducted by the North Staffordshire Hospital and Keele University was published in 1999 in the British Medical Journal. This study evaluated 940 women suffering from PMS. When doses of 100 milligrams per day of vitamin B6 were given, women suffered far less cramping and bloating. http://www.bmj.com

Vitamin B6 is found in foods like avocados, bananas, dried beans, meats, nuts, poultry and whole grains. To maintain a balanced diet, you want to include these foods into your diet regularly so that you are getting appropriate amounts of vitamin B6.

It is recommended that women over nineteen years old get 100 milligrams of vitamin B6 per day to maintain a healthy nutrition level. This same dosage is able to prevent bloating and cramping with PMS as shown by the Keele University study.

A deficiency in vitamin B6 can cause problems like depression, confusion, and irritability. When hormone levels fluctuate during PMS, vitamin B6 levels drop. When this occurs, if not replenished, women will become irritable and depressed. Mood swings are a common problem with PMS and can be avoided if B6 levels are maintained in the body.

Large quantities of vitamin B6 can have some negative side effects. These symptoms usually set in when people take in 1,000 milligrams per day or more. The symptoms of vitamin B6 toxicity are coordination problems, numbness and sensory issues. This happens with very large doses of vitamin B6.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is essential for mood elevation, energy levels, concentration levels, sleep, depression prevention, and preventing cervical cancer. This vitamin plays a vital role in helping to prevents PMS symptoms. Many women experience mood swings and sleep problems during PMS. By getting adequate doses of vitamin B12, the mood changes and sleep disturbances can be avoided during PMS.

The Department of Public Health published a double-blind study in the journal for Clinical and Human Nutrition that showed an intake of 5 milligrams of vitamin B12 twice per week drastically reduced the effects of depression, tiredness, and irritability in twenty eight patients of the study. These are symptoms many women face during PMS and getting a dosage of 10 milligrams per week will help to reduce the PMS symptoms. natural-health-information-centre.com

A study conducted by the Department of Psychiatry at Nagoya University found that adolescents with sleep disorders responded very well to treatment from vitamin B12 in controlling sleep cycles. In two separate incidents of people with significant sleep disorders, vitamin B12 was able to regulate the sleep cycles. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1759094

Since hormone fluctuations cause mood fluctuations and sleep problems, getting appropriate levels of B12 in a diet will help to regulate the changes in mood and provide better sleep patterns. It is important to get the appropriate levels of vitamin B12. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin B12 is two to three milligrams per day.

Vitamin B12 is found in foods like meat, fish, and dairy products. Since vitamin B12 is water-soluble, it must be replenished so it is very important that vitamin B12 is incorporated into the diet regularly so that a deficiency does not occur.

A vitamin B12 deficiency is going to cause damage to the brain and immune system that is irreversible. The symptoms of a deficiency are fatigue, depression and memory loss. These are similar symptoms that occur with PMS indicating that hormone fluctuations with PMS cause a vitamin B12 deficiency. It is important for overall health and PMS symptom alleviation that women get adequate levels of vitamin B12.

Vitamin B1

Vitamin B1 is also called thiamine. Thiamine is used by the body for maintaining mental mood, enhancing energy and dealing with stress. Vitamin B1 is an important vitamin for maintaining mental health.

Vitamin B1 is also important to help to develop the neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are the communication devices in the brain. Neurotransmitters are responsible for transmitting pain. It is recommended that people get 1.4 milligrams of vitamin B1 daily.

In a study conducted in 1999 by Podell Medical Center and published in the Nutrition Science News showed that women who had an intake of 50 milligrams of vitamin B1 had increased mental sharpness and there are no adverse side effects with high intakes of vitamin B1. http://thiaminvitamin.com

Thiamine is responsible for fighting mood swings, breast tenderness and cramping. By increasing levels of B1, mood is more stable, fight pain associated with PMS and help to deal with stress. These are symptoms that occur with PMS and increasing levels of vitamin B1 in the body can help fight these symptoms.

The Islamic Azad University found in 2011 that the effects of B1 and ibuprofen were equally effective at reducing pain in the body. Women who received 100 milligrams per day of vitamin B1 experienced far lower levels of pain. http://www.academicjournals.org

Vitamin B1 can be found in many foods such as yeast related foods and pork. This can be grains like oatmeal and rye. It can also be found in sunflower seeds, brown rice, asparagus, kale, cauliflower, potatoes, oranges, liver, and eggs.

Thiamine deficiencies have a negative impact on all the organ systems. The heart and immune systems are very sensitive to vitamin B1 deficiencies. There are many reasons that people can end up with a vitamin B1 deficiency. Some are medical disorders, alcoholism and just a lack of intake.

When hormones fluctuate in the body, vitamin B1 levels fall and women develop mood problems and experience more pain associated with cramping and breast tenderness. By increasing levels of vitamin B1 to fifty to one hundred milligrams per day, these PMS symptoms can be avoided.

Vitamin B2

Vitamin B2 is also known as Riboflavin. Riboflavin is used in the body for prevention of cervical cancer, migraine headache prevention, acne, cramping, and maintaining healthy skin. Vitamin B2 plays an important role for many of the symptoms that come with PMS.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst published a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that took 3000 women and discovered that 2.5 milligrams of vitamin B2 can reduce the effects of PMS by up to 35 percent. http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com

A study conducted by the Department of Public Health and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that Riboflavin intake reduced the symptoms of PMS both the physical symptoms like cramping and the psychological effects like mood swings are drastically reduced with intake of vitamin B2. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Vitamin B2 is a powerhouse vitamin that helps target a variety of PMS symptoms from cramping to fatigue to mood swings. Riboflavin is naturally yellow or orange in color so Riboflavin is often found in foods that have been fortified like cereal, pasta, sauces, cheese, drinks, and baby foods.

Other natural sources are liver, kidneys, wheat bran, eggs, meat, milk, and cheese. These are all great natural sources for vitamin B2. Since Riboflavin is water-soluble, it can be hard to find good sources of vitamin B2 in drinks.

It is recommended that people get 1.2 to 1.6 milligrams of vitamin B2 per day to maintain a healthy diet and fight the symptoms of PMS that occur. Vitamin B2 deficiencies can cause serious problems.

This is a common deficiency for women to have as the vitamin is excreted regularly from the body. A vitamin B2 deficiency will manifest itself through inflammation in various areas of the body like the lips, tongue, and mouth.

Since PMS will create a deficiency in vitamin B2, women experience inflammation of the uterus and the breast tissues which results in pain. Vitamin B2 deficiencies will also cause dry and acne riddled skin, fatigue and mental dullness. These are all symptoms that accompany PMS and can be thwarted with an appropriate level of B2 in the diet.

B vitamins are incredibly important in the body. Each B vitamin is important and plays a different role. By taking the required dosage of each vitamin per day would result in a large number of pills.

Supplements like Period Vitamin provide the daily recommended dosage of the variety of B vitamins that are needed to fight the symptoms of PMS.

Period Vitamin contains 3 milligrams of vitamin B1, 3.4 milligrams of vitamin B2, 500 mcg of vitamin B12 and 50 milligrams of vitamin B6 which provides that appropriate levels of B vitamins to prevent the symptoms of PMS.