PMS Causes

PMS causes still remain under the carpet.

Experts do not yet agree on any single cause.

Of course no one wants to hear such statements when she is suffering from bothersome symptoms.

Besides
causes,knowing the risk factors should be useful to most women as
these give them the opportunity to predict who is more likely to have
PMS.

This article discusses the different possible causes of PMS as well as the risk factors.

Causes of PMS

Many theories have been postulated to explain the premenstrual syndrome.
Many of these theories are currently being disapproved by research.
These include postulations like estrogen excess, estrogen withdrawal,
progesterone deficiency, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6) deficiency, alteration
of glucose metabolism, and fluid-electrolyte imbalances.

Today, research is pointing at other likely mechanisms. A genetic component has also been raised by some researchers.

Some of the current theories to explain PMS causes include

• Serotonin
  deficiency. Serotonin is a chemical in the brain involved in the
  transmission of electrical signals.Women who are most affected by PMS
  have differences in serotonin levels. The symptoms of PMS can respond to
  a class of drug called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs),
  which are medications that increase the amount of circulating
  serotonin.
• Nutritional causes involving magnesium
  and calcium deficiencies have been postulated because supplementation
  with these minerals has been shown to improve some PMS symptoms.
• Exaggerated
  responses to normal changes in menstrual hormones in the blood have
  been shown to cause physical and emotional PMS symptoms.
• Low
  endorphins in blood. Endorphins are the body’s natural pain killers in
  the brain. PMS occurs only during the luteal phase and it has been shown
  that endorphin levels are low during this phase. Also in some women,
  falling endorphin levels produce some PMS symptoms such as nausea pain.

Risk Factors For PMS

Though the precise cause of PMS is not known, many risk factors have
been identified. Risk factors tell you whether you are more likely to
develop it even if you are unsure what causes it! Remember that risk
factors are not causes.

These risk factors are

1. Smoking
2. Obesity
3. High caffeine intake
4. Stress may precipitate condition
5. Increasing age
6. History of depression
7. Family history
8. Dietary factors like low magnesium and vitamin D

Remember
that risk factors are not causes. You can say smoking increases your
chances of having PMS and not that smoking causes PMS.

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