Cramp Bark Benefits for Menstrual Relief & Beyond

The AHA! Team — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 08:19:39 +0000

Jillian Levy, CHHC via Dr. Axe – Like wintergreen, cramp bark is another herbal remedy that naturally contains a compound called methyl salicylate, which is known to have pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects. As its name hints, cramp bark is known for relieving cramps, including those associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). It also has a long history of use in Native American herbalism, including the Penobscot tribe of Maine, who used cramp bark to naturally treat gout and swollen glands. At the same time in Wisconsin, the Meskwaki tribe was using this herbal remedy for back pain, arthritis and menstrual cramps. Overall, cramp bark is said to have antispasmodic, sedative, relaxant and astringent properties. Let’s take a closer look at this intriguing herb and its many possible health benefits. Uses and Benefits What are the benefits of cramp bark? Here are some of the top ways it has been known to improve health: 1. PMS/Menstrual Cramps Research from in vitro studies reveals that cramp bark can block the spasms of smooth muscle, so it’s not surprising that one of cramp bark’s most well-known uses as a traditional herbal remedy is for menstrual cramps that can accompany PMS. It’s known to help soothe even severe cramping that is associated with nausea, vomiting and sweaty chills. Cramp bark is traditionally prepared by placing two teaspoons of the dried bark into a cup of water, bringing it to a boil and then simmering it for 10 to 15 minutes. This tea can be consumed three times per day for cramps. Another option is four to eight milliliters of tincture three times per day. 2. Endometriosis Endometriosis is a medical disorder in which the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside the uterus. The fruits of Viburnum opulus have been used to treat gynecological disorders, including dysmenorrhea (painful periods) as well as ovarian cysts. A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmocology in 2016 wanted to see if cramp bark could also improve endometriosis. In an animal model study, endometriosis was surgically induced in subjects, and then cramp bark fruit extracts were administered for four days. The subjects treated with the extracts of Viburnum opulus berries showed significant improvement in their endometriosis compared to the control group. The study concludes that the herb’s chlorogenic acid content, along with its other phenolic compounds, are likely responsible for its positive effects on endometriosis. 3. Miscarriage According to experts in the field, cramp bark has long been used as a spasmolytic (or antispasmodic) during pregnancy, particularly in miscarriage prevention. This use as an herbal remedy in pregnancy is said to go back to Native American tribes. Cramp bark is known to be a top pick by herbalists in the United Kingdom for preventing miscarriage. Several active substances in Viburnum opulus, including scopoletin and aesculetin, have been labeled as having antispasmodic effects on the uterus. Midwives sometimes choose cramp bark for a threatened miscarriage, as well as early labor, during actual labor and for after-labor cramping. While this may sound strange, herbs are known for sometimes having opposite effects on the body depending on the quantity used, when and how they are used, and whether or not an herb is used alone or in combination with other herbs. 4. Muscle Relaxant Cramp bark has a lengthy history as a natural muscle relaxant. As mentioned earlier, it is known to help relieve menstrual cramping due to its ability to stop smooth muscle spasms. For this reason, it’s also known to help relieve muscle spasms and aches throughout the body, such as in the back or legs, whether related to PMS or physical exertion. 5. Possible Anti-Cancer Effects A study published in 2018 in the Journal of Cancer Research and Therapeutics points toward possible anti-tumor and anti-cancer effects of Viburnum opulus. Using an animal model, researchers demonstrated how extracts from gilaburu juice (juice made from the berries of the cramp bark plant) displayed in vivo antitumoral activity. Another study published in 2013 used an animal model to evaluate possible positive effects on colon cancer in particular. Overall, researchers found that the groups of animal subjects with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon cancer that were treated with gilaburu juice for 30 weeks experienced a reduction in mean total number of tumor lesions. The researchers concluded that “gilaburu juice may be useful for the prevention of colon cancer at the initiation stage.” 6. Kidney Health It appears cramp bark is effective in preventing kidney stones and can benefit overall kidney health. It’s believed its citrate content is partly responsible for this effect. In fact, one study reported, “Because V. opulus contains citrate as high as lemon juice does and it is a potassium-rich and calciumand sodium-poor fluid, it can be an alternative to pharmaceutical treatment in mild-to-moderate degree hypocitraturic stone patients.” Meanwhile, another study published in 2019 revealed that “V. opulus is an herbal treatment alternative that facilitates the passage of ureteral stones

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Study: Premenstrual Mood Symptoms Represent a Key Public Health Issue Globally

AHA Publisher — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:00:28 +0000

University of Virginia Health System via News-Medical – Premenstrual mood swings and anxiety are so common – experienced by more than 64% of women – that they represent a “key public health issue globally,” according to a new UVA Health study. The UVA Health study found that most women have premenstrual symptoms every menstrual cycle, and those symptoms regularly affect their day-to-day lives. One of the most common symptoms, regardless of age, is mood swings or anxiety, the researchers found. At least 61% of women in all age groups surveyed reported mood-related symptoms every menstrual cycle, which the researchers say suggests “that premenstrual mood symptoms are a key public health issue globally.” “Our study demonstrates that premenstrual mood symptoms are incredibly common worldwide. More important, a majority of women reported that their premenstrual symptoms interfered with their everyday life at least some of the time.” Jennifer L. Payne, MD, study’s senior author and director of the Reproductive Psychiatry Research Program at the University of Virginia School of Medicine Better Understanding Premenstrual Symptoms To better understand the type of premenstrual symptoms women experience and how those symptoms affect their daily lives, the researchers analyzed more than 238,000 survey responses from women ages 18-55 from 140 countries on the Flo app, which helps women track their menstrual cycle or track their mood or physical symptoms during and after pregnancy. The most common symptoms reported were food cravings, experienced by 85.28% of the women surveyed, followed by mood swings or anxiety (64.18%) and fatigue (57.3%), according to researchers from the UVA School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University and Flo Health. Among the study respondents, 28.61% said their premenstrual symptoms interfered with their everyday life during every menstrual cycle, while an additional 34.84% said their premenstrual symptoms interfered with their everyday life sometimes. “The incidence of reported premenstrual mood and anxiety symptoms varied significantly by country from a low of 35.1% in Congo to a high of 68.6% in Egypt,” Payne said. “Understanding whether differences in biology or culture underlie the country level rates will be an important future research direction.” A group of symptoms – absentmindedness, low libido, sleep changes, gastrointestinal symptoms, weight gain, headaches, sweating or hot flashes, fatigue, hair changes, rashes and swelling – was significantly more frequent among older survey respondents, the researchers found. The increase in physical symptoms among older survey respondents “makes sense,” the researchers said, as many of these symptoms are associated with perimenopause, a transition period to menopause marked by irregular menstrual cycles. Payne is hopeful that this survey data will help women get better care by making healthcare providers more aware of how frequently these symptoms – especially anxiety and mood-related symptoms – occur. “There are a number of treatment strategies that are available to treat premenstrual symptoms that interfere with a woman’s every day functioning,” she said. “Increasing awareness of how common these symptoms are, and that if they impact functioning that there are treatments available, will help women improve their quality of life.” Findings Published The researchers have published their findings in the Archives of Women’s Mental Health. The research team included Liisa Hantsoo, Shivani Rangasawmy, Kristin Voegtline, Rodion Salimgaraev, Liudmila Zhaunova and Payne. Payne holds a patent titled “Epigenetic Biomarkers of Postpartum Depression.” To read the original article click here.

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Cramp Bark Benefits for Menstrual Relief & Beyond

Study: Premenstrual Mood Symptoms Represent a Key Public Health Issue Globally