The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Jasmine (Ontario, Canada) on 11/28/2014
★★★★★
I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and my cycles had always been irregular (usually every four months or longer). When my period did come it was very painful with heavy bleeding. My cycles began to regulate about 5 months ago; coming every 35-40 days starting the first cycle I started taking BSM. I am 26 and this has been the first time since I started my cycle at 14 that I had a period on a regular basis.
I was having very bad cramps when I came across BSM on this website and found that it almost eliminated my cramps in less than an hour! The first cycle I began taking it my period went 9 plus days to 5 days and this has continued since. The flow has been lighter and no longer heavy.
With my cycles regulating since starting BSM, I can't help but wonder if that has been the final magic ingredient for me. I also take vitex (chasteberry) and inositol for PCOS.
At first I could not bear the taste of BSM. Now I take BSM as a warm drink. I use a heaping tablespoon of unsulphured BSM and two teaspoons of raw cocoa powder (also has lots of health benefits). It almost tastes like hot chocolate. I take this drink when I remember before ovulation and closer to and during my period I drink it everyday.
Thank you to everyone who recommended BSM for period pain... and thank you Earth Clinic for multiple cures I have found on your website.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Amber28 (Houston , Usa) on 01/22/2013
★★★★★
Honestly I can't believe ACV is working, but it is! I was up late the other night feeling depressed about my period because for the last 5 years I've had issues (but I've always had major cramps and a heavy flow since my period started when I was younger. I would take 3 midol before feeling any relief from cramps and then 2 more later). Anyway in 2008 my period began and didn't stop, I didn't have health insurence so I didn't know what to do. Finally my mom suggested a natural hormal cream which worked but my cramps were really bad and I hated taking the cream because it gave me acne and my hair started falling out. So then a few years later I tried another natural hormonal pill and it worked a little bit but not really. I've been very discouraged. Then I came across this site and read all your posts about ACV and I felt hope. I called my hubs and told him to pick me up some after work (with straws ;-) ). I was praying "please please please work for me!! " I couldn't drink a glass of water with a spoon of ACV fast enough. An hour or so later I went to the restroom and the bleeding was almost all gone. I drank another glass and an hour later it was completely GONE and my hubs and I were able to be intimate again FINALLY. How did it work so fast? In less than 5 hours this thing I've been suffering with for years cleared up? Sadly though when I woke up the next morning I was bleeding again, so I drank another cup of water and ACV and BAM the bleeding is gone. Do I need to drink this ongoing all day? Honestly I wouldn't care if I had to because it's worth it. I may buy some ACV pills though. Honestly I have no clue why this works, but it is. It makes me mad that no docs are talking about it. That women have to suffer, pay money for toxic pills, get surgery and cry themselves to sleep over this when ACV has been out there the whole time and docs don't tell anyone!
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Isa (Toronto) on 09/25/2016
★★★★★
I had suffered with cramps since I was 13 (I am 21 now). I came across this remedy online and decided to try it as I had severe cramps and was willing to do anything to have them gone. I started taking about a tablespoon of BSM every day mixed in with warm tea once a day for a month. When my period came around I also took a magnesium supplement once a day. For the first time in my life I have been pain free during my period.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Meg (Atlanta, Ga) on 11/04/2016
★★★★★
Amazingly, this really works. For the past four months I experienced terribly painful cramps. Strange for me, given I'm 53 years old and haven't had cramps since I was a teenager. The only thing that relieved the pain was a Chinese remedy that I got from my acupuncturist. But unfortunately since I've had hormone-fed cancer in the past, I couldn't continue to take it (it contained a phytoestrogen, my doctor nixed it). She said instead I should take an NSAID like ibuprofen or naproxen a couple days prior to my cycle, and continue for a couple days into the cycle. No thanks! I gave the Black Strap Molasses a try, starting three days before my cycle started. It was organic, unsulphured molasses. I took a spoonful (about 1-1/2 teaspoons), once a day. On the day my cycle started, I took one spoonful in the morning and another in the evening. No cramps! Yay!! Only a sense of tightness, which is what it normally would feel like in the first day or two of my cycle. I'm not sure if it's just a placebo affect or if it really does ease the pain, but I'll take it! My plan is to continue taking it through the third day of my cycle, then discontinue, then start it again about 3 days before my next cycle.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by CT (San Francisco, CA) on 09/29/2022
★★★★★
One tablespoon of blackstrap molasses in a glass of warm milk was what worked for me to eliminate the cramping. I just needed to drink it once a day for the first few days of the period. By itself it tastes kind of gross, but with milk it is delicious. Wish I had known this simple remedy decades ago so I did not have to suffer needlessly!
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Converted (Sydney, Australia) on 01/09/2014
★★★★★
Organic unsulphered blackstrap molasses truly helps with period cramps. I've had severe cramps on first day of period and always relied on painkillers. Started taking 1 tablespoon of BSM every morning in one cup of warm water 2 months ago.
First month I noticed a reduced flow but pain still there. Second month having nearly finished the jar, I had my first PAIN FREE period in more than 10 years! Miracle!
I have ovarian cysts so I suspect the BSM has reduced the cysts. I also occasionally took with 1 capful of ACV. Please try BSM it tastes great like malty coffee and don't worry about sugar levels.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Regina (Fairfield, CT) on 05/04/2022
★★★★★
My 15 year old teenage daughter was suffering from monthly debilitating pain right before and during her menstrual cycle. I started giving 1tbsp of blackstrap molasses to her and boy does it work! I am so happy I found this website!
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Tina (Altoona, Pa) on 11/18/2013
★★★★★
Blackstrap Molasses has been an incredible relief for monthly cramps that were becoming intolerable. I am 46 years of age and I have tried multiple remedies. The beet juice was also effective but molasses is quicker and easier to take. I got lazy and skipped a month and the terrible monthly pain returned. I highly recommend!!
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Katherine (Seattle, Wa, Usa) on 10/10/2011
★★★★★
I usually get cramps worst at night and in the morning. Last night about an hour before bed, I ate between 1 to 2 tablespoons of BSM and although I had cramps when I went to bed, I know I did not have them all night because I woke up a couple times (unrelated) without any. Also, in the morning, when they are usually the worst, I had none! I've now been awake for about three hours and still no cramps! I am SOO happy!
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Talea (Sherwood, Oregon) on 07/03/2017
★★★★★
My daughter-in-law woke up this morning and said her cramps were the worse they've ever been (like the I-can't-move type). Went on the site and saw Apple Cider Vinegar. I have capsules. Gave her one and within minutes the cramps were down to nothing. She's astonished.
Cramp Bark
Posted by Sherie786 (Uk) on 01/29/2015
★★★★★
I have suffered forever with severe stomach and back pain during my periods lasting for 24 hours along with heavy bleeding. Sometimes I have even thrown up and or fainted with the pain. It did get slightly better after having 2 children, however every month it would wipe me out as I could not function during this time.
I've done lots of research, some of which has helped but not enough to write about until I came across cramp bark extract. I started taking it the day before my period to get into my system (following the instructions on the label) and I felt 90% better which was like a miracle for me. I still had some cramping but what I would consider 'normal monthly cramps.'
This is the first time I have wrote a post as I'm hoping it could help someone else experiencing the same thing.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Tammy (Ontario) on 12/14/2016
★★★★★
Hey there.
I too suffered from severe cramping. But what I do is just take the molasses beginning the day before my period starts and during my period, only. It works! I make a tea a few times a day and my cramps are minimal!
Also, I have a hard time with the taste, so I make it in a teas, as I mentioned above. My fav is chai tea with a little cream or almond milk, and 1 teaspoon of unsulphered blackstrap molasses (sometimes I add a hint of sugar r honey too lol). If its a night, I use a decaf tea and the same additions.
Try that instead of every day? Good luck :)
Zinc
Posted by Major (Wichita, Kansas) on 02/13/2008
★★★★★
I wonder why this remedy is not more well known. Zinc supplements relieve menstrual cramps - 100% success rate in almost every case.
My teenage daughter began her mense cycles early in her life and almost right away suffered from extreme menstrual cramps. Each month she would be bed-ridden for at least two days with a heatpad wrapped around her tummy. Missing school was the norm. And any future activities usually had to be planned around her cycles as she would be totally debilitated for at least three days of the month. This went on for quite awhile with tylenol or some other pain reliever being the usual protocol though providing little in the way of relief.
Visits to her doctor usually brought up the discussion of birth control pills as one alternative to relieve the monthly pain. And so after several years of her suffering in this way, we relented, and she began a regimen of Ortho TryCyclene. Admittedly, we were relieved to finally see her free of her painful menses and for the first time in a long time she was enjoying her life without worry of the dreaded cycle each month. She could finally plan activities without worry! But in the back of my mind I was not at all happy about someone so young being put on hormone therapy.
One day during my routine research on the internet, I came across a website belonging to George Eby. Mr. Eby is the guy who pioneered the remedy of zinc lozenges for the common cold. He has also done alot of research on magnesium for depression. His website has a ton of useful information:
At any rate, while at his site I stumbled upon research with zinc as a remedy for menstrual cramps:
In some of the case studies of young women taking zinc gluconate, some became alarmed that they had become pregnant because their menses failed to occur - a testement to how successful the zinc protocol is.
We purchased the recommended type of zinc and began our daughter on this regimen after discontinuing the Ortho Tricyclene. Lo and behold! It works! We have been so overwhelmingly amazed that such a simple supplement works. If you follow the protocol in the pdf file, I am confident this will work for any woman suffering from painful menstrual cramps as our daughter did.
Blackstrap Molasses
Posted by Elli (Utah) on 09/05/2015
★★★★★
This is fantastic, I used to lay on the couch sweating with cramps, and even extra strength tylenol would only bring it under control. I would put a couple tablespoons of molasses straight down my throat and then sip on molasses tea for about an hour. and then once at lunch and once for dinner.
Made the pain chill, more manageable flow, everything was better.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Mama To Many (Tennessee) on 06/10/2014
Dear J from US,
I am so sorry you are having this trouble. Yes, large clots and bad cramping would be scary and uncomfortable!
Would you be able to enlist the help of your mother or grandmother in this situation? If you are having heavy bleeding, you could be anemic, which could lead to fainting or other problems. You really need to have someone older who knows you who can help you monitor your symptoms and make sure any remedies you try are suitable for you and are working for you.
If my daughter was dealing with this problem, the easiest thing to try would be Blackstrap Molasses. One Tablespoon a day, every day of the month, has helped many with cramps, heavy periods, clotting, and other period problems. Some people take it straight off the spoon (my children do.) I like it better mixed in some milk or in a mug of Dandy Blend, an herbal coffee substitute. It also helps with anemia from heavy periods.
Others have found that Evening Primrose Oil can help with cramps and period problems. You can read some stories about that here:
https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/home-remedies-for-menstrual-cramps3.html#eveningprimroseoil
Some other things I would have my daughter do in this situation would be to eat less animals products and soy products and more vegetables and fruits.
Please do let me know how you are doing! I hope you are feeling much better soon!
Love,
~Mama to Many~
Magnesium, Dietary Changes +
Posted by Cat (Austin) on 07/30/2018
★★★★★
Menstrual Cramping:
This is what my daughter does: Takes a 400 mg capsule of magnesium bisglycinate and pain subsides until she can get apple cider vinegar tablets to eliminate pain -- both work excellently for her supremely painful menstrual cramps. She did notice that if she avoided eating high carb/sugar around her period and stuck to a Meat, veggie, berry-fruit regime 2 weeks before, her pain and cramping were at 5-20% compared to 80-100%. SUGAR IS A CURSE!
If you bleed a lot like I once did, take a grass fed capsule of desiccated liver at least twice a week -- you need the iron, minerals & B vitamins. BUT, most important for extreme heavy bleeders, especially those about to enter menopause? Stop eating HIGH CARB / HIGH SUGAR DIETS. High carb eating (over 70grams a day) with SUGAR is damaging to our feminine apparatus. Those with fertility problems should also research Black Seed Oil. Listen to your doctor and check out google and youtubes -- filled with people with your same problem who have found solutions.
Curcumin
Posted by Rachelle B. (Toronto, Canada) on 04/02/2018 1 posts
★★★★★
My teen was having the most horrid debilitating back pain, along with seven or eight days of bleeding during every period. Back pain would persist during the full week. For a few months we tried BSM 2x/day, ACV (poor compliance due to taste), cramp bark, raspberry leaf tea, magnesium pills and spray, dmso, aloe, traumeel, osteopathy, massage therapy, chiropractic, (etc) but back pain persisted and was still holding her back from participating in life. It also became a full-time job for me to manage. She was taking extra strength ibuprofen three time per day and her low back was still on fire to touch, We had gone to the doctor and considering BC pills.
I happened across a post about Curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) being effective, when nothing else worked. We began at one capsule a day for two weeks heading up to menses and continued during cycle. I also give her raspberry leaf tea in morning of day one and two. She had absolutely no cramping or pain on first try and there's no pain during menses since. Her period has been reduced to three days. This supplement is expensive (as must be bioavailable form) so be prepared, especially compared to using turmeric on its own, but it's changed her life. My daughter asked me to post this "on the internet" so other girls won't suffer as she did!
