On Jun 13, 4:07 pm, Laurie > wrote:
> http://ecologos.org/menses.htm
>
> Laurie
> --
> Scientifically-credible info on plant-based human diets:http://ecologos.org/ttdd.html
> news:alt.food.vegan.science

This is an interesting/insightful page. Thanks Laurie. I have heard
women in other cultures don't complain as much as those in US and it
always seemed too simplistic that menstruation complaints were just
too taboo for other cultures to talk about. I'm sure that's part of it
but the topic reminds me of the stories of women (in some cultures)
who give birth with seemingly little debilitating pain and return to
work very shortly afterward.

"Obstetrics & Gynecology 2000;95:245-250

Diet and Sex-Hormone Binding Globulin, Dysmenorrhea, and Premenstrual
Symptoms
NEAL D. BARNARD, MD, ANTHONY R. SCIALLI, MD, DONNA HURLOCK, MD and
PATRICIA BERTRON, RD

Objective: To test the hypothesis that a low-fat, vegetarian diet
reduces dysmenorrhea and premenstrual symptoms by its effect on serum
sex-hormone binding globulin concentration and estrogen activity.

Methods: In a crossover design, 33 women followed a low-fat,
vegetarian diet for two menstrual cycles. For two additional cycles,
they followed their customary diet while taking a supplement placebo
pill. Dietary intake, serum sex-hormone binding globulin
concentration, body weight, pain duration and intensity, and
premenstrual symptoms were assessed during each study phase.

Results: Mean (± standard deviation [SD]) serum sex-hormone binding
globulin concentration was higher during the diet phase (46.7 ± 23.6
nmol/L) than during the supplement phase (39.3 ± 19.8 nmol/L, P < .
001). Mean (± SD) body weight was lower during the diet (66.1 ± 11.3
kg) compared with the supplement phase (67.9 ± 12.1 kg, P < .001).
Mean dysmenorrhea duration fell significantly from baseline (3.9 ± 1.7
days) to diet phase (2.7 ± 1.9 days) compared with change from
baseline to supplement phase (3.6 ± 1.7 days, P < .01). Pain intensity
fell significantly during the diet phase, compared with baseline, for
the worst, second-worst, and third-worst days, and mean durations of
premenstrual concentration, behavioral change, and water retention
symptoms were reduced significantly, compared with the supplement
phase.

Conclusion: A low-fat vegetarian diet was associated with increased
serum sex-hormone binding globulin concentration and reductions in
body weight, dysmenorrhea duration and intensity, and premenstrual
symptom duration. The symptom effects might be mediated by dietary
influences on estrogen activity.

Anecdotal reports indicate that a low-fat, vegetarian diet might
reduce menstrual pain in some individuals.The present study tested the
hypothesis that a low-fat, vegetarian diet reduces dysmenorrhea and
premenstrual symptoms in women with moderate to severe menstrual pain,
by its effect on serum sex-hormone binding globulin and estrogen
activity.

There are several ways that diet might affect PG synthesis. Diet
influences sex hormone concentration and activity. Populations on
plant-based or vegetarian diets typically have increased serum sex-
hormone binding globulin concentrations.Such diets also often reduce
body weight, which is correlated inversely with serum sex-hormone
binding globulin concentrations. Low-fat diets also reduce serum
estrogen concentrations in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Estrogen conjugates are excreted in bile and are subject to
enterohepatic circulation, which can be interrupted by dietary fiber,
encouraging fecal estrogen elimination. Elevated serum sex-hormone
binding globulin or reduced serum estrogen concentrations might reduce
estrogenic stimulation of the endometrium, limiting proliferation of
tissues that produce PGs.

Limited evidence suggests that ovulatory disturbances might be less
frequent among vegetarians. In a 6-month study, 15% of cycles among 22
nonvegetarians were anovulatory, compared with fewer than 5% of those
of 23 vegetarians. The distribution of ovulatory, anovulatory, and
short-luteal-phase cycles differed significantly between groups
({chi}2 = 9.64, P < .01)."

Full article: http://www.greenjournal.org/cgi/content/full/95/2/245

Frugivorously,
Chris