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Painful periods are common. Did you know that more than half of people who menstruate have some pain for up to three days a month? This pain is typically throbbing or cramping in the lower abdomen.
Did you know that digestive changes—such as vomiting, gas, bloating, diarrhea, and a “bubbling gut”—are also common around the time of menstruation?
There are many options for treatments for period pain (known medically as dysmenorrhea). Not all these treatments are well-tolerated or work for everyone, so we need to find out what works best.
We’re learning more about food’s role in influencing inflammation in our body. So, could eating or avoiding certain foods help with painful periods? Here’s what we know based on high-quality research.
Here are some foods that may relieve period pain or cramps:
Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids
Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include chia seeds, walnuts, flaxseeds, salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, oysters, and edamame beans. Omega-3 fatty acids are naturally present in oils including fish, cod liver, algal, krill, flaxseed (linseed), soybean, and canola oils.
Omega-3 fatty acids affect how our cells function and the signaling pathways associated with inflammation and pain.
Studies published a meta-analysis earlier this year where they combined and analyzed all data available on the impact of omega-3 fatty acids on period pain. They found diets high in omega-3 fatty acids (including supplements of 300-1,800 milligrams a day) over two to three months may reduce pain, and pain medication use, in people with painful periods.
Foods high in vitamin D
Foods high in vitamin D include trout, salmon, tuna, and mackerel, as well as fish liver oils. Small amounts are also found in beef liver, egg yolk, and cheese. Mushrooms contain varying levels of vitamin D, and you can boost this by exposing them to direct midday sunlight for 15–120 minutes.
The body can make vitamin D when it gets sunlight exposure, and you can also get vitamin D from supplements.
Vitamin D may help reduce the factors that cause inflammation in the uterus, including levels of hormone-like molecules called prostaglandins.
A 2023 meta-analysis showed women who received weekly doses of vitamin D greater than 50,000 IU (or international units) had relief from period pain, regardless of how long and how often women took the vitamin.
Foods high in vitamin E
Foods rich in vitamin E include seeds (particularly sunflower seeds), nuts (particularly almonds, hazelnuts, and peanuts), and spinach, broccoli, kiwifruit, mango, and tomato.
There is some evidence that vitamin E supplements reduce period pain. In a well-conducted trial run over the course of four periods, women took vitamin E supplements (90 milligrams, twice a day) for five days, beginning two days before the expected start of the period. This significantly reduced the severity and duration of period pain.
Here are some foods that may worsen period pain or cramps:
Highly processed foods
Highly processed foods include energy-dense,
