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Nothing defines the strength of a woman quite like going about their day as if nothing is wrong, despite the intense period pain from the seemingly unstoppable period cramps. The ability to simply put a smile on and do your best not to bite someone’s head off with the hormonal and emotional rollercoaster can also be a major issue during this biological necessity.
Simply put, the whole ordeal illustrates the physical and mental fortitude of the fairer sex.
Period pain from issues related to the monthly cycle, menstrual cramps, and endometriosis on the physical side and Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) on the mental side - to the extreme stress of pregnancy and breastfeeding, women have unique events through life that cause pain.
But what if there was an easy way to disappear the bulk of menstrual period pain? And what about other discomforts unique to women?
Menstrual Cramps – Cause and Cramp Relief
Menstrual cramps are an incredibly common issue for women of reproductive age. 93% of teenage girls report cramping during their cycles. Among all women of reproductive age, 60% report period cramps. So, this is a common problem, but it should not be considered normal.
In fact, it is estimated that the average woman loses nine days of productivity exclusively due to menstrual cramping. But how to fix this issue and have a more normal life and activity level?
Why causes menstrual cramp pain?
The uterus is a smooth muscle, meaning it moves involuntarily. In other words, you have no control over what it does and when. During the menstrual cycle, the uterus contracts and relaxes repeatedly.
This repeated contraction cycle is to help shed the endometrial lining, speeding the uterine lining's expulsion rate and shortening the period. Period cramps are, at their core, repetitive use cramps. This painful cramp is commonly experienced in the hands when doing a repetitive task.
Commonly used treatments for menstrual cramps
The core cause of menstrual cramps
All muscles, both smooth (involuntary) and striated (voluntary) work the same way. Contractions are first caused by the inversion of the cell's polarity by moving sodium inside and potassium outside.
They relax by pumping potassium back inside while pumping sodium back outside. When there is no longer enough potassium inside the cell, the muscle cannot relax, which is a cramp.
Painful period cramps are so strong that the muscle is involuntary. When experiencing a skeletal muscle cramp, or voluntary muscle, the severe pain can be reduced by stretching and trying not to use the dysfunctional muscle. However, this is temporary at best and offers minimal pain relief.
As an uncontrolled smooth muscle, painful menstrual cramps cannot be controlled. They must be stopped via other interventions, with the most effective being giving the uterus the nutrition needed to relieve menstrual cramps and restore normal function, taking away menstrual pain.
Severe Menstrual Cramps from Endometriosis
While the cause of cramps is the same, endometriosis introduces another layer of intense menstrual pain. Endometriosis is caused when tissue similar to the endometrial lining is outside the uterus. This causes more intensely painful period cramps, pain during sex, increased bleeding during the menstrual cycle, and even infertility.
Treating endometriosis
Similar to treating primary period cramps, secondary period cramps caused by endometriosis is most commonly treated with pain relief medication or killers. The use of oral contraceptives to minimize the number of cycles per year is also commonly used to reduce the frequency of period pain.
There are also surgical options for treating endometriosis. There is a more conservative surgery in which the reproductive tract, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries are preserved to maintain fertility. A hysterectomy, or removal of the uterus, is the final treatment for severe endometriosis, but it results in complete infertility and is a last resort. While surgeries are effective for stopping the source of painful cramps, they present more risk and life-long effects.
By increasing potassium consumption, the intense menstrual pain caused by endometriosis can be better controlled by eliminating increased pain from period cramps. Eliminating the period cramps by adding Krampade to your daily diet is a simple way to dramatically decrease the period pain in each cycle, even with endometriosis.
So why is the potassium low?
The average inactive person loses 4500 mg of potassium daily in the heat. There is an average loss of 250 mg for every hour of exercise. Only 1% of women get enough potassium per day. To put things in perspective, to get the 4700 mg recommended would require 11 bananas.
The average teenage girl only consumes 2008 mg of potassium daily, while older women of reproductive age consume about 2400 mg daily.
This lack of potassium in the diet means less in the muscles, including the uterus. Less potassium means more painful periods and cramps.
Simply increasing the amount of potassium in the diet menstrual cramps can be a thing of the past.
Premenstrual Syndrome – Mental Health and Nutrition
While the incidence varies depending on geographical location, an average of 47% of women suffer from PMS. Even severe PMS, known today as PMDD, affects 5% of menstruating women.
Nearly 30% of women report that PMS symptoms interfere with daily activities every cycle. The inhibition of daily life explains why the average woman loses nine days of productivity each year.
What are the possible treatments for PMS?
Given that the underlying cause is unknown, the normal treatments include the typical behaviors of a healthy lifestyle, such as getting more exercise, healthy eating, and sleeping.
NSAIDs may help with prescription medication such as antidepressants and hormonal birth control, but these have more side effects, so consult your physician.
The simplest solution is to get better nutrition — specifically, more potassium.
Regular potassium supplementation cures premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Small studies show the remarkable effectiveness of supplementing potassium to women with severe PMS (now referred to as PMDD) and their PMS disappearing after a few cycles. In these studies, only 600 mg of potassium was supplemented into the diet per day.
By the fourth cycle, these women with severe PMS no longer had symptoms of PMS and had better overall health.
Krampade gives 2000 mg per serving and can easily eliminate PMS symptoms by simply getting the potassium levels in the tissue to where they need to be, both in the uterus and brain, leaving you feeling your best, no matter what time of the month it is.
Nighttime Leg Cramps During Pregnancy – Simple Nutritional Cramp Relief
Pregnancy comes with all sorts of new feelings of both joy and apprehension. The first half of pregnancy comes with things like morning sickness, changes in smell and taste, and mood swings. No sooner do these go away. Sleep gets harder, then leg cramps begin.
These painful and often severe cramps are especially mysterious as they happen when muscles relax at night. Most cramps occur during activity, be it everyday chores or strenuous exercise.
Potassium needed during pregnancy
During pregnancy, potassium demand increases tremendously to support the rapidly growing baby, with 5100 mg needed daily, or roughly 12 bananas.
Potassium moves away from leg muscles during sleep
When sleeping, potassium is rearranged to support critical organ systems, namely the brain, heart, liver, and kidneys. When pregnant, the baby also takes priority over the mother’s body.
The largest amount of potassium available for critical organ systems is in the skeletal muscles. So, when sleeping, this potassium is mobilized to higher-priority organs and, most importantly, the new life growing in the uterus.
Increased potassium stops painful cramps during pregnancy
When the potassium level inside the muscle is too low, this depolarizes the muscle and gives the signal to contract. Without more potassium to put inside the muscle, the cramp persists.
By simply increasing the dietary potassium throughout pregnancy, nighttime leg cramps are prevented.
Krampade is easy and safe to use during pregnancy to give both mom and baby the potassium they need for optimal health and vitality.
Lactation and Breastfeeding – Reach for the Farmer’s Standard
With the shortages and cost of formula, breastfeeding is becoming more important for mothers. Not only does breastfeeding save money, but it also is better for your baby.
Like pregnancy, more potassium is needed when lactating, with a recommendation of 5100 mg daily or 12 bananas. This is convenient as the potassium needs do not change from pregnancy to breastfeeding, which is understandable since the mom still feeds the baby.
Potassium drives milk production and let down
Like all bodily fluids, milk production is driven by potassium. Potassium movement from inside a cell to outside drives the fluids produced by various cells in the body outside the cell.
This is why when someone stops sweating, it is almost always a lack of potassium in the sweat gland. The mammary gland is no different.
Increasing potassium consumption overcomes higher sodium intake and increases the likelihood of long-term breastfeeding success
Too much sodium and insufficient potassium increase the likelihood of low breast milk production. Increasing potassium consumption after birth is crucial for establishing long-term breastfeeding and milk production success.
Maintaining at least 5100 mg of potassium throughout the lactation journey is critical to maintaining supply, a healthy diet, and minimizing stress.
Krampade is the easy way to get the potassium needed to maintain a healthy milk supply and take a little stress away from the new joys and responsibilities of new parents.
Potassium is the key to women’s health and relieving painful period cramps
The unique and beautiful function of women’s bodies is a source of great pain for many, both mentally and physically. Simple nutrition is the key to a more comfortable and fulfilling daily life, every day, no matter what.
Regular exercise and a healthy diet are the places to start, but what is often missing in the latter is adequate potassium intake.
By simply getting the potassium needed each day, women experience menstrual cramp relief, a stop to PMS/PMDD, and even the burdens of pregnancy and breastfeeding are lightened.
Krampade is a science-backed way to have relief from cramps and a healthier you without drastic and often difficult-to-maintain lifestyle changes.
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