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Easier Periods Ahead: Why It Takes 3 Menstrual Cycles to Address This Common Root Cause of PMS

PMS doesn't play, and ideally there’d be a quick fix that provided everyone instant relief.

But in reality, quick fixes usually don’t address the root cause of the issue, and they’re often drugs that come with side effects.

While PMS can have multiple root causes, one common root cause can be traced back to hormonal health. This article explains why it takes at least 3 menstrual cycles to achieve hormonal balance and fundamentally address PMS.

An easy period starts with healthy ovulation.

Of all the phases of the menstrual cycle, periods tend to get the most buzz. But ovulation is actually your cycle’s main event.

Ovulation is when your ovary releases an egg. For those not on hormonal birth control (which suppresses ovulation), ovulation happens once a month, about 2 weeks before your period starts.

Ovulation is important because it turns on the hormone progesterone, which helps make periods easier. (1)


While only one egg is typically released each cycle, each of your two ovaries are home to many yet-to-be-released egg cells contained in fluid-filled sacs.

After an egg is released from the ovary, the sac it grew up in quickly transforms into a critical ovarian tissue called the corpus luteum. The corpus luteum’s role is to make the valuable hormone progesterone.


ovulation-progesterone

Progesterone is a beneficial hormone for periods.

While mostly considered a pregnancy hormone, progesterone is also your period’s BFF.

Progesterone is helpful for periods because it:

  • Is anti-inflammatory (2)
  • Prevents periods from becoming too heavy (3)
  • Has calming anti-anxiety effects (4, 5)
  • Relieves bloating (6)
  • Gives skin a healthy glow (7)
  • Boosts libido (8)

Signs of low progesterone include: (1, 9, 10)

  • PMS irritability
  • PMS fatigue
  • Long or heavy periods
  • Spotting before your period
  • Irregular menstrual cycles
  • Short menstrual cycles lasting less than 24 days

Because progesterone is so important to period health, solving PMS often means making as much of it as possible every cycle.

Optimizing progesterone levels is a 90-day process

Recall that progesterone is made by the corpus luteum. The healthier your corpus luteum, the more progesterone you’ll make.

Because the corpus luteum develops from the remnants of a released egg, the health of your corpus luteum depends on how healthy that egg cell was before it was released from your ovary.

It takes about 90 days for an egg cell to grow up in its fluid-filled sac and be released. (11)


If the health of your egg cell is compromised at any point in its 90-day developmental journey, it can show up as period problems months later.


Factors that can damage the health of a developing egg cell include: (12, 13, 14)

  • Stress (physical or emotional)
  • Inadequate nutrition
  • Lack of sleep
  • Smoking

This means that if you’ve ever been dealt a particularly difficult period, it may be because of stress you experienced 90 days ago.

90 days is about 3 menstrual cycles. That’s why it takes at least 3 cycles to address the root cause of various PMS symptoms.

If you’re taking steps to improve the health of your egg cells, you can’t fully assess how effective those steps are until you’ve given them at least 90 days to do their thing. The sooner you start, the sooner you can find PMS relief.


“If you’re trying something new for your period, stick with it for 90 days at the minimum. 3 cycles will let you know.”

- Dr. Ruth Arumala, Ob/Gyn, DO, MPH, NCMP


PMS-3-menstrual-cycles

Steady Mood addresses root causes of PMS in the short-term AND long-term

While it’s often best to play the long game with your period health, we think you deserve effective PMS relief in the short-term, too.

Steady Mood is targeted herbal and nutritional support for multi-symptom, non-drug PMS relief.

While most people report feeling better during their first cycle with Steady Mood, the real magic happens after 3 cycles.


Short-term: Anti-PMS nutrients are replenished

Research points to low levels of certain nutrients as another major root cause of PMS. Studies show people who get PMS don’t get enough calcium, magnesium, zinc, or vitamin B6.

Deficiencies can be common; it’s estimated that 60% of adults are low in magnesium and 12% are low in zinc, for example. (15, 16) Magnesium and zinc are both critical to hormone metabolism.

If you’re low in any of the above nutrients, expect to feel better within your first couple weeks of using Steady Mood. Steady Mood is taken all month long (not just when you’re menstruating) and we use highly absorbable forms of vitamins and minerals, so nutrient levels are quickly restored.


Long-term: Progesterone levels are optimized

Egg cells love the nutrition Steady Mood provides, and adaptogenic rhodiola helps the body cope with stress that can damage their health. Not surprisingly, when Steady Mood’s ingredients were studied for PMS over multiple menstrual cycles, their benefits grew stronger over time and achieved full efficacy after about 3 months. (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)

By your third cycle with Steady Mood, your egg cells and corpus luteum have been properly nourished for their entire developmental journey. Expect to make more progesterone and feel multiple PMS symptoms fade.


Learn more about Steady Mood here.


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