Claim: Vitamin D3 Might Ease Menstrual Cramps
Verdict: SUPPORTS

Retrieved passages:
title: Menstruation
text: sensations may interfere with normal activities, and include menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea), migraine headaches, and depression. Dysmenorrhea, or severe uterine pain, is particularly common for young females (one study found that 67.2% of girls aged 13–19 have it). The medications in the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) class are commonly used to relieve menstrual cramps. Some herbs are also claimed to help. Some women experience emotional disturbances starting one or two weeks before their period, and stopping soon after the period has started. Symptoms may include mental tension, irritability, mood swings, and crying spells. Problems with concentration and memory may occur. There

title: Birth control
text: and can be inserted immediately after delivery. They may also be used immediately after an abortion. Once removed, even after long term use, fertility returns to normal immediately. While copper IUDs may increase menstrual bleeding and result in more painful cramps, hormonal IUDs may reduce menstrual bleeding or stop menstruation altogether. Cramping can be treated with painkillers like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Other potential complications include expulsion (2–5%) and rarely perforation of the uterus (less than 0.7%). A previous model of the intrauterine device (the Dalkon shield) was associated with an increased risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, however the risk is

title: Dysmenorrhea
text: systematic review however found limited evidence that the birth control pill, containing low doses or medium doses of oestrogen, reduces pain associated with dysmenorrhea. In addition, no differences between different birth control pill preparations were found. Norplant and Depo-provera are also effective, since these methods often induce amenorrhea. The intrauterine system (Mirena IUD) may be useful in reducing symptoms. A review indicated the effectiveness of transdermal nitroglycerin. There is insufficient evidence to recommend the use of any herbal or dietary supplements for treating dysmenorrhea, including, melatonin, vitamin E, fennel, dill, chamomile, cinnamon, damask rose, rhubarb, guava, and uzara. Further research

title: Stefania Follini
text: and rice, which partially resulted in her losing Vitamin D. She reported that at one point her menstrual cycle had stopped. She regularly did judo to maintain her strength and flexibility. When she finally emerged from the cave at the experiment's end in May 22, 1989, and was asked to guess the date, she estimated that it was March 14 or 15 —only two months from the start of the experiment instead of the four that had actually transpired. She was described as "looking pale and thin" after coming out from the cave. Having spent about 130 days in the

title: Premenstrual syndrome
text: medication may cause PMS-related symptoms in some women, and may reduce physical symptoms in other women. They do not relieve emotional symptoms. Progesterone support has been used for many years but evidence of its efficacy is inadequate. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists can be useful in severe forms of PMS but have their own set of significant potential side effects. Tentative evidence supports vitamin B6 and chasteberry. Evidence does not support the use of St. John's wort, soy, vitamin E, and saffron. Evening primrose oil may be useful. PMS is generally a stable diagnosis, with susceptible women experiencing the same symptoms at

title: Vitamin D
text: German Society for Nutrition recommends 20 µg. The European Menopause and Andropause Society recommends postmenopausal women consume15 µg (600 IU) until age 70, and 20 µg (800 IU) from age 71. This dose should be increased to 100 µg (4,000 IU) in some patients with very low vitamin D status or in case of co-morbid conditions. Although vitamin D is not present naturally in most foods, it is commonly added as a fortification in manufactured foods. In some countries, staple foods are artificially fortified with vitamin D. In general, vitamin D is found in fungi and vitamin D is found

title: Symptoms and discomforts of pregnancy
text: from a systematic review suggest that exercise or acupuncture reduced pelvic pain or lumbo-pelvic pain more than usual care. Occurs in between an estimated 21% to 62% of cases, possibly due to edema. Leg cramps (involuntary spasms in calf muscles) can affect between 30% to 50% of women during pregnancy, especially during the last three months of pregnancy. Leg cramps can be extremely painful and whilst they usually last only a few seconds, they can last for minutes. It is not clear whether some oral drug treatments (such as magnesium, calcium, vitamin B or vitamin C) are effective in treating

title: Vitamin D
text: six months to five years, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and sun-deprived elderly people should take daily vitamin supplements to ensure sufficient vitamin D intake. In July 2016, Public Health England recommended that everyone consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 µg of vitamin D during autumn and winter because of inadequate sunlight for vitamin D synthesis. The Swedish Food Administration recommends a daily intake of 10 μg (400 IU) of vitamin D3 for children and adults up to 75 years, and 20 μg (800 IU) for adults 75 and older. Non-government organisations in Europe have made their own recommendations. The

title: Dysmenorrhea
text: that in nulliparous women with primary dysmenorrhea, the severity of menstrual pain decreased significantly after age 40. A questionnaire concluded that menstrual problems, including dysmenorrhea, were more common in females who had been sexually abused. A survey in Norway showed that 14 percent of females between the ages of 20 to 35 experience symptoms so severe that they stay home from school or work. Among adolescent girls, dysmenorrhea is the leading cause of recurrent short-term school absence. Dysmenorrhea Dysmenorrhea, also known as painful periods, or menstrual cramps, is pain during menstruation. Its usual onset occurs around the time that menstruation

title: Menstruation
text: is to prevent pregnancy, it may be used to treat some menstrual symptoms and syndromes which affect menstruation, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, adenomyosis, amenorrhea, menstrual cramps, menstrual migraines, menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding), menstruation-related or fibroid-related anemia and dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation). Using the combined birth control pill, it is also possible for a woman to to delay or completely eliminate menstrual periods, a practice called menstrual suppression. Some women do this simply for convenience in the short-term, while others prefer to eliminate periods altogether when possible. This can be done either by skipping the placebo pills, or using

title: Menstruation
text: with the onset of ovulatory cycles. Treatments that target the mechanism of pain include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and hormonal contraceptives. NSAIDs inhibit prostaglandin production. With long-term treatment, hormonal birth control reduces the amount of uterine fluid/tissue expelled from the uterus. Thus resulting in shorter, less painful menstruation. These drugs are typically more effective than treatments that do not target the source of the pain (e.g. acetaminophen). Risk factors for primary dysmenorrhea include: early age at menarche, long or heavy menstrual periods, smoking, and a family history of dysmenorrhea. Regular physical activity may limit the severity of uterine cramps. For

title: Dysmenorrhea
text: is recommended to follow up on weak evidence of benefit for: fenugreek, ginger, valerian, zataria, zinc sulphate, fish oil, and vitamin B1. A 2016 review found that evidence of safety is insufficient for all dietary supplements. There is some conflicting evidence in the scientific literature, including: One review found thiamine and vitamin E to be likely effective. It found the effects of fish oil and vitamin B12 to be unknown. Reviews found tentative evidence that ginger powder may be effective for primary dysmenorrhea. Reviews have found promising evidence for Chinese herbal medicine for primary dysmenorrhea, but that the evidence was

title: Dydrogesterone
text: statistically significant reductions in the symptoms pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia after the first treatment cycle for the treatment of post-laparoscopic endometriosis. The amount and duration of menstrual bleeding is also significantly reduced, and from the end of the third month onwards, bleeding was considered normal in the majority of patients. Improvement of endometriosis was observed in 71% of patients and cure in 21%. Dydrogesterone has shown reasonable efficacy in relieving a number of premenstrual syndrome symptoms like mood swings and physical symptoms. Cyclic treatment with low-dose (10 mg/day) dydrogesterone has been found to be effective in the treatment of

title: Progesterone (medication)
text: have also been reported in human clinical trials. Vitamin D and progesterone separately have neuroprotective effects after traumatic brain injury, but when combined their effects are synergistic. When used at their optimal respective concentrations, the two combined have been shown to reduce cell death more than when alone. One study looks at a combination of progesterone with estrogen. Both progesterone and estrogen are known to have antioxidant-like qualities and are shown to reduce edema without injuring the blood-brain barrier. In this study, when the two hormones are administered alone it does reduce edema, but the combination of the two increases

title: Endocrine bone disease
text: women but men can be diagnosed with this silent disease as well as it mainly affects elderly individual. In addition to the thyroid gland, Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the absorption of calcium. In fact, Vitamin D is needed for efficient absorption of calcium and therefore proper bone health. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, as well, it is unique because it is considered as a hormone; synthesized endogenously in the liver in form of Cholecalciferol. The endogenous inactive form of Vitamin D is Cholecalciferol or Vitamin D3 which is converted to active form of Vitamin D–Calcitriol also

title: Vitamin D
text: when 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are less than about 10 ng/mL. Although the effects of osteomalacia are thought to contribute to chronic musculoskeletal pain, there is no persuasive evidence of lower vitamin D levels in chronic pain sufferers or that supplementation alleviates chronic nonspecific musculoskeletal pain. Dark-skinned people living in temperate climates have been shown to have low vitamin D levels but the significance of this is not certain. Dark-skinned people may be less efficient at making vitamin D because melanin in the skin hinders vitamin D synthesis. The effects of vitamin D supplementation on health are uncertain. A 2013 review

title: Vitamin D and respiratory tract infections
text: levels reported having significantly more recent colds or cases of the flu chronic respiratory disorders, especially those who had pre-existing respiratory ailments. A report in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reported that children who took vitamin D supplements daily in winter were 42% less likely to get infected with seasonal flu than those who were given a placebo. Mongolian schoolchildren who drank vitamin D fortified milk during winter reported having fewer colds than those who received non-fortified milk. Another study found no effect of vitamin D supplementation on the incidence or severity of upper respiratory tract infections. Authors of

title: Cramp
text: sufficient salt improves symptoms. Quinine is likely to be effective; however, due to side effects, its use should only be considered if other treatments have failed. Vitamin B complex, naftidrofuryl, lidocaine, and calcium channel blockers may be effective for muscle cramps. Research has also shown that pickle "juice" can be an effective remedy based on its high sodium and electrolyte content. Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) has proven effective in preventing muscle cramps, although data suggests that effectiveness decreases when taken for more than several weeks. Adequate conditioning, stretching, mental preparation, hydration, and electrolyte balance are likely helpful in preventing muscle cramps. Cramp

title: Dysmenorrhea
text: Dysmenorrhea Dysmenorrhea, also known as painful periods, or menstrual cramps, is pain during menstruation. Its usual onset occurs around the time that menstruation begins. Symptoms typically last less than three days. The pain is usually in the pelvis or lower abdomen. Other symptoms may include back pain, diarrhea, or nausea. In young women painful periods often occur without an underlying problem. In older women it is more often due to an underlying issues such as uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, or endometriosis. It is more common among those with heavy periods, irregular periods, whose periods started before twelve years of age, or

title: Premenstrual syndrome
text: drugs such as naproxen may help with physical symptoms. In those with more significant symptoms birth control pills or the diuretic spironolactone may be useful. Up to 80% of women report having some symptoms prior to menstruation. These symptoms qualify as PMS in 20 to 30% of pre-menopausal women. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a more severe form of PMS that has greater psychological symptoms. PMDD affects three to eight percent of pre-menopausal women. Antidepressant medication of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors class may be used in addition to usual measures for in PMDD. More than 200 different symptoms have