*Dietary reference intake not established
Non-medicinal ingredients: microcrystalline cellulose. Capsule: water, hypromellose, sorbitol, silicon dioxide.
Suntheanine™ is a registered trademark of Taiyo International, Inc.
AOR guarantees that no ingredients not listed on the label have been added to the product. Contains no wheat, gluten, corn, nuts, dairy, soy, eggs, fish or shellfish.
Suggested Use
Take two capsules three times per day with food, or as directed by a qualified health care practitioner.
Main Applications
Premenstrual Syndrome
Source
Multi-Sourced
Pregnancy / Nursing
Do not take if pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive
Cautions
Should not be combined with tricyclics, MAOIs, Lithium, SSRIs (fenfluramine, Prozac®, zoloft, paxil, etc.). Not to be used by individuals under the age of 18 or those with a medical condition.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Premenstrual Syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a collection of symptoms affecting women in their reproductive years that generally appear within the two weeks prior to menses. The symptoms of PMS are widely varied and may be emotional, psychological or physical in nature. Some of the more common symptoms include abdominal pain, headaches, breast tenderness, bloating, irritability, depression, tension, anxiety, a lack of energy, angry outbursts and withdrawal. 95% of women in their reproductive years experience at least some of these symptoms each month. In 5% of women these symptoms are so severe that they negatively impact their health, ability to function at work, and the quality of their relationships with others.
The ingredients in AOR's PMS Less™ target the various symptoms of PMS, providing relief from both the physical pain and emotional upheaval brought on by PMS.
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Natural Pain Relievers
• Pine Bark Extract - Pine bark extract has been shown in several clinical trials to significantly reduce the pain and discomfort associated with PMS. In one Japanese study it completely relieved abdominal cramps and breast tenderness. In addition to having anti-inflammatory properties, pine bark extract contains ferulic acid and caffeic acid, both of which inhibit contraction of the uterus, helping to alleviate cramps.
• Boerhaavia diffusa - This herb has been studied for its anti-inflammatory, pain relieving and anti-spasmodic properties. It is also a diuretic, and can help prevent fluid retention and bloating.
• Boswellia serrata - Boswellia serrata is a traditional ayurvedic herb with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. It has been shown to help relieve inflammation throughout the body, and can help to soothe the painful physical symptoms of PMS.
Mood Modulators
• Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P) - P5P is the biologically active form of vitamin B6, and acts as a catalyst for over 113 essential enzymatic reactions in the body. Supplementation with P5P has been shown to reduce the emotional symptoms of PMS, including depression, tension and anxiety. One randomized, placebo-controlled study involving 32 women found that vitamin B6 supplementation reduced emotional PMS symptoms (including depression, irritability and tiredness) by a significant margin. Vitamin B6 is believed to act as an essential co-factor in the metabolism of tryptophan to seratonin - a key brain neurostransmitter involved in the regulation of mood.
• L-Theanine - Theanine is an amino acid from tea that has been shown to promote relaxation and relieve stress and anxiety. It acts on the brain, heightening brain wave patterns associated with a state of relaxed wakefulness. Research conducted by Taiyo Kaguku Co. in conjunction with the University of Shizuoka and The Family Planning Institute found that 200 mg of Suntheanine per day significantly reduced a large variety of physical, mental, and social symptoms of PMS including insomnia, muscle stiffness, cramps, depression, anxiety, and irritability.
• 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) - 5-HTP is a metabolite of the amino acid tryptophan, and is an essential precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Research supports a role for 5-HTP in supporting mood balance. By increasing serotonin levels in the brain, 5-HTP can effectively reduce the emotional symptoms of PMS, improving mood and alleviating depression, tension and anxiety. One study examining the effects of L-tryptophan (which is converted by the body into 5-HTP) supplementation in 37 healthy adult women for 17 days showed that L-tryptophan reduced the emotional symptoms of PMS (dysphoria, mood swings, tension, irritability) by 34.5%.
References
Kohama T, Suzuki N, Ohno S, Inoue M. Analgesic efficacy of French maritime pine bark extract in dysmenorrhea: an open clinical trial. J Reprod Med. 2004; 49(10): 828-832.
Dhar, M., et al. Screening of Indian plants for biological activity: Part I. Indian J. Exp. Biol. 1968; 6: 232-47.
Rohdewald P et al. The treatment of gynaecologial disorders with Pycnogenol®. European Bull Drug Res. 1999; 7(2):30-32.
Steinberg S, Annable L, Young SN, Liyanage N. A Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of L-Tryptophan in Premenstrual Dysphoria. Biol Psychiatry. 1999; 45: 313-320.
Doll H, Brown S, Thurston A, Vessey M. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and the premenstrual syndrome: a randomized crossover trial. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners. 1988; 39: 354-368.
Wyatt KM, Dimmock PW, Jones PW, and O'Brien PMS. Efficacy of vitamin B-6 in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: systematic review. BMJ.1999;318:1375-1381.
Analgesic efficacy of French maritime pine bark extract in dysmenorrhea: an open clinical trial.
Kohama T, Suzuki N, Ohno S, Inoue M. J Reprod Med. 2004; 49(10): 828-832.
Objective: To clarify the effect of Pycnogenol (Horphag Research, Switzerland), French maritime pine bark extract, on menstrual pain.
Study Design: We treated 47 patients with menstrual pain, aged 21-45 years, with Pycnogenol at 30 mg (2 capsules) orally twice a dysmenorrl day. The administration of Pycnogenol began on the eighth day of the first menstrual cycle and continued until the seventh day of the third menstrual cycle. Improvement was evaluated by measuring scores of symptoms during the first and second, and first and third menstrual cycle using the Wilcoxon rank sum test.
Results: Treatment with Pycnogenol lowered the pain scores for abdominal pain significantly (p < 0.05) as compared to pretreatment values. Pain relief in the second cycle of treatment was better as compared to the first cycle of treatment, as indicated by a higher level of significance (p < 0.01) and lower median pain score. The number of days with abdominal pain showed a trend toward fewer days with pain; however, the difference failed to reach significance. Relief of back pain was not that pronounced during the first cycle treated with Pycnogenol; the pain scores were not significantly different from those in the pretreatment period. However, continuation of treatment during the second cycle produced significant pain relief (p < 0.01). The number of days with back pain decreased. The number of days with pain was significantly lower (p < 0.01) in the second cycle of treatment with Pycnogenol.
Conclusion: Pycnogenol has a potential analgesic effect on menstrual pain.
The treatment of gynaecologial disorders with Pycnogenol®
Rohdewald P et al.European Bull Drug Res. 1999; 7(2):30-32.
Objective: To clarify the effect of Pycnogenol (Horphag Research, Switzerland), French maritime pine bark extract, on menstrual pain.
Study Design: We treated 47 patients with menstrual pain, aged 21-45 years, with Pycnogenol at 30 mg (2 capsules) orally twice a dysmenorrl day. The administration of Pycnogenol began on the eighth day of the first menstrual cycle and continued until the seventh day of the third menstrual cycle. Improvement was evaluated by measuring scores of symptoms during the first and second, and first and third menstrual cycle using the Wilcoxon rank sum test.
Results: Treatment with Pycnogenol lowered the pain scores for abdominal pain significantly (p < 0.05) as compared to pretreatment values. Pain relief in the second cycle of treatment was better as compared to the first cycle of treatment, as indicated by a higher level of significance (p < 0.01) and lower median pain score. The number of days with abdominal pain showed a trend toward fewer days with pain; however, the difference failed to reach significance. Relief of back pain was not that pronounced during the first cycle treated with Pycnogenol; the pain scores were not significantly different from those in the pretreatment period. However, continuation of treatment during the second cycle produced significant pain relief (p < 0.01). The number of days with back pain decreased. The number of days with pain was significantly lower (p < 0.01) in the second cycle of treatment with Pycnogenol.
Conclusion: Pycnogenol has a potential analgesic effect on menstrual pain.
A Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial of L-Tryptophan in Premenstrual Dysphoria.
Steinberg S, Annable L, Young SN, Liyanage N.. Biol Psychiatry. 1999; 45: 313-320.
Background: Antidepressant drugs, including specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors, have been shown to be beneficial in the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder. The present study tests the efficacy of L-tryptophan, which acts specifically on serotonergic neurons, in this disorder.
Methods: In a randomized controlled clinical trial, 37 patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder were treated with L-tryptophan 6 g per day, and 34 were given placebo. The treatments were administered under doubleblind conditions for 17 days, from the time of ovulation to the third day of menstruation, during three consecutive menstrual cycles.
Results: The Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) revealed a significant (p 5 .004) therapeutic effect of L-tryptophan relative to placebo for the cluster of mood symptoms comprising the items of dysphoria, mood swings, tension, and irritability. The magnitude of the reduction from baseline in maximum luteal phase VAS-mood scores was 34.5% with L-tryptophan compared to 10.4% with placebo.
Conclusions: These results suggest that increasing serotonin synthesis during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle has a beneficial effect in patients with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and the premenstrual syndrome: a randomized crossover trial.
Doll H, Brown S, Thurston A, Vessey M. Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners. 1988; 39: 354-368.
A randomized double-blind crossover trial was conducted to study the effects of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) at a dose of 50 mg per day on symptoms characteristic of the premenstrual syndrome. Sixty three women aged 18-49 years, identified by means of a general practice based survey of menstrual patterns in the community, entered the trial. All of the women had noticed moderate to severe premenstrual symptoms during the previous year. The women kept a daily menstrual diary which graded the severity of nine individual symptoms from zero to three. After completing a diary for an initial month the women were randomized to receive either drug or placebo for three months, after which the treatments were crossed over for a further three months. Thirty two women completed the full seven months of the study. In these women a significant beneficial effect (P<0.05) of pyridoxine was observed on emotional type symptoms (depression, irritability and tiredness). No significant effect was observed on premenstrual symptoms of any other type.
Efficacy of vitamin B-6 in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: systematic review.
Wyatt KM, Dimmock PW, Jones PW, O'Brien PMS. BMJ.1999;318:1375-1381.
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of vitamin B6 in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome.
Design: Systematic review of published and unpublished randomised placebo controlled trials of the effectiveness of vitamin B6 in the management of premenstrual syndrome.
Subjects: Nine published trials representing 940 patients with premenstrual syndrome.
Main outcome measures: Proportion of women whose overall premenstrual symptoms showed an improvement over placebo. A secondary analysis was performed on the proportion of women whose premenstrual depressive symptoms showed an improvement over placebo.
Results: Odds ratio relative to placebo for an improvement in overall premenstrual symptoms was 2.32 (95% confidence interval 1.95 to 2.54). Odds ratio relative to placebo for an improvement in depressive symptoms was 1.69 (1.39 to 2.06) from four trials representing 541 patients.
Conclusion: Conclusions are limited by the low quality of most of the trials included. Results suggest that doses of vitamin B6 up to 100 mg/day are likely to be of benefit in treating premenstrual symptoms and premenstrual depression.
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