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Heavy periods/menorrhagia
I suffer from very heavy periods and am hoping you can recommend something that can help with this. I do not have endometriosis or any underlying condition, it seems this is just the way my body is.
The medical term for excessive uterine bleeding is menorrhagia, which, in turn, is the most common reason for iron deficiency among women. This then becomes a catch-22 because, when other causes such as endometriosis and fibroids have been ruled out, chronic iron deficiency is often itself a cause of heavier periods.
I know none of us ever measure it, but women who lose more than 60-80ml of blood per menses tend to become progressively iron-deficient without knowing it and in trials, 75% of chronically iron-deficient women who took daily iron supplementation suffered less heavy bleeding compared with 33% of those given a placebo pill, which is statistically enough of a difference to be significant.
Vitamin C can also be used to help reduce bleeding among those suffering from heavier periods. Even a borderline deficiency of this nutrient promotes capillary fragility and researchers have successfully combined vitamin C with citrus-derived flavanoids to treat heavy menstrual bleeding. This works because vitamin C and flavanoids have a synergistic action and enhance each in the body, which can then use this combination, with the help of the female hormone oestrogen, to maintain the integrity of the lining of the womb.
It can be very confusing trying to work out which brand of iron and vitamin C to take. If you are not under the care of a natural health practitioner who can advise you, I recommend you take Iron EAP2 by Biocare, which is not only highly absorbable but more suited to people who may be sensitive to iron supplementation
C Plus from VRP combines vitamin C with a flavanoid, and you also need to take a good quality multisupplement such as Ultra One by Nature’s Plus, to provide additional zinc, manganese and copper, all of which are lost in menstrual fluid. You can mail order all three remedies from the Nutri Centre (0800-587 2290).