Bananas help reduce period cramps

Question

Period cramps are so painful and can sometimes be unbearable. There are many supplements you can take to reduce period cramps, but if your looking for a natural and healthy alternative, bananas have been proven to reduce the severity of period cramps.

In an article by Flo Health states, " Bananas also contain a lot of magnesium, which is known to reduce the severity of period cramps." This is really helpful for those pesky period cramps.

Answer 1

Overall, the claim that bananas help reduce period cramps appears to be sound. The article is written by Andrei Marhol, who has written multiple articles published in the Journal of the Grodno State Medical University and has a PhD specializing in cardiology, according to his LinkedIn profile. The first statement in this article is that bananas are rich in fiber, which will reduce bloating and help with digestion. An article published by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians verifies this claim by stating that "slightly underripe bananas also contain prebiotic fiber, which can help support healthy digestion." They also add that the potassium in bananas reduces bloating by regulating sodium imbalance and cite a small study that corroborates this finding. The other main statement of this article says that the magnesium from bananas is known to reduce the severity of cramps. The Cleveland Clinic explains this as the magnesium's ability to relax the uterus' muscles as well as decrease prostaglandin chemicals, which cause pain in the body.  

Comments

I really like how this answer addressed and broke down different parts of the claim. This answer provided more details to the original claim which helped back it up. The breakdown of the article where fiber is mentioned and then magnesium's beneficial affects  are addressed really helps add emphasis on the research that was done. For the first article, were you able to gather if there was any information that was sourced from somewhere else?

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I think that your answer is very well established and I appreciate the thorough search you did to seek more information on what nutritious benefits and how the magnesium given to your body by eating bananas helps relax the uterus' muscles and decrease pain chemicals in the body to back your point. However I only have the question of how many bananas do you have to eat for this process to actually be effective. For some women their period cramps are so bad that it's hard to believe eating bananas will reduce the painful cramps that they experience. Also is the claim talking about reducing the pain of cramps or reducing how often you experience period cramps?

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Great job finding out the background information about who wrote the original article and their credibility. You made multiple different points pointing to the idea that it is true that bananas can help with period cramps but it seems like they actually have multiple different health benefits for different parts of a woman's cycle. Also, the links you attached and used to find information were very helpful and credible.

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This is a really solid answer! It pulls in different sources to back up the claims and breaks down exactly how bananas help, like the fiber for digestion and magnesium for muscle relaxation. I like that it mentions both bloating and cramps because they often go hand in hand during periods. The use of the Cleveland Clinic as a source also adds credibility.

Answer 2

I think this is a great source to use as flo is a very reputable app with lots of good information. Also, after researching the person who reviewed the article Andrei Marhol it shows he has lots of experience, education and awards surrounding your topic. I do however think you could've maybe added another source backing up your claim.

Comments

I agree with this personals comment. The Flo app is used amongst many women and is popular because of the accuracy (for the most part) of it. Not only that but it can use information provided my women to better understand issues surrounding periods. I also agree however, maybe another source of a doctor or professional getting into more details surrounding bananas benefits with period cramps.

Answer 3

When I found the link based on the statement that, "Bananas helped reduce period cramps"; I believed the article given good reasoning and understanding but was questioning since it didn't look very trustworthy. Then as I went into their references, I discovered the truth. Though Flo Health (the people who published an article did use references), they were exactly all connected to the fact that Bananas could help with menstrual cramps. For example, for the article titled "Using Food Against Menstrual Pain" (https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/nutrition-information/using-foods-against-menstrual-pain) they go into great detail on how foods and other medicine can help fight against  menstrual cramps and even suggest some fruits that can help. The one thing that this article lacks is referencing bananas at all. They didn't even talk about bananas so it shouldn't be a creditable source. Another example was a medical journal titled, "Office of Dietary Supplements - Magnesium.” (https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/) This journal talked about bananas and their magnesium and how if you don't get magnesium you can get cramping but never talked about them relating to each other. Also never talked about menstrual cramps either. So though Flo Health's references are good, they don't relate to the article thus I wouldn't trust their information. 

Comments

It is also worth noting that bananas are exceptionally high in magnesium, which is a main argument in Flo's article. One banana has 32mg per serving; whereas seeds such as pumpkin and chia have around triple that content in a 1g serving (pumpkin seeds have 156mg and chia seeds have 111mg).

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/

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You made a good point about checking the actual sources, not just trusting the article.  Bananas do have magnesium and potassium, but I agree that there’s not much solid evidence connecting them directly to period cramps.

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The comment shows great media literacy and does a strong job of identifying weak sourcing. However, the conclusion that the information is untrustworthy would be more accurate if it said the specific claim about bananas is overstated, not that the whole article is untrustworthy.

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/

Answer 4

Bananas are high in fiber and magnesium that supports period pain reduction. However, bananas alone will not be the cause of reduced pain. A diet that includes balanced nutrition, high-fiber, low-fat, herbal teas, low-salt, fish oil, magnesium, zinc, Vitamin B, Vitamin E, and adequate protein and water intake will provide best results. Bananas are a good option to include in this diet.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6290229/pdf/PJMS-34-1478.pdf

Comments

I like how you mentioned that bananas alone will not help reduce period cramps, but it may help with the addition of other whole foods high in minerals and vitamins. I also think it is important to not that some foods may make period cramps feel worse, including foods high in salt, sugar, and caffeine. https://www.healthline.com/health/womens-health/what-to-eat-during-period#donts

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This is good to point out, especially considering the original article by Flo mentions that "Bananas are also rich in natural sugars, so it’s best to eat them in moderation." While they do state that very clearly, they probably should add why one might want to avoid sugars specifically regarding period cramps.

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I really like how you mentioned and added emphasis on the fact that bananas are a tool/step to help reduce period cramps, but it is not the only factor to reducing them. In the article you used, were there any sources that were borrowed from different articles? When you saw this article did you immediately trust it, or did you do more research that helped back this article?

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Bananas are indeed a good source of magnesium and fibre. I like how you incorporated all types of nutrients. I like how you incorporated bananas as a great option to include into a diet, but even considering foods that we should avoid.

Cleveland Clinic:
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/foods-to-ease-menstrual-cramps/

Answer 5

Bananas are often believed to help with period cramps, but there is no science to back this up either. Bananas contain potassium (422 mg) and vitamin B6 (0.4mg), but these quantities are biologically irrelevant in relieving menstrual pain. Cramps are a result of prostaglandins spurring contractions in the uterus, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists affirms https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/dysmenorrhea-painful-periods , not potassium deficiency. You would need to consume nearly 100 bananas a day to get the same 40mg vitamin B6 dose from limited studies — and even then, comparisons show only modest effects versus proven treatments like NSAIDs that block prostaglandins directly. Original post from https://flo.health/menstrual-cycle/health/cramps/foods-for-cramps-relief and provides no clinical evidence, nicely illustrating how wellness advice can confuse rudimentary nutrition facts with knowledge of the biological mechanisms involved, or normal and/or effective dosage ranges. For menstrual pain, medical authorities recommend evidence-based remedies as opposed to dietary folklore.

Comments

Calling this claim "dietary folklore" may be a bit of an overstatement. The article clearly states that its intentions are to suggest foods that may be helpful if "regular medication isn't enough." Additionally, your argument doesn't refute any of the actual claims in the article. The article doesn't state anything about potassium; it focuses on the benefits of fiber and magnesium, both of which can be found in bananas.

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While the original claim may be a bit of an exaggeration I agree that referring to a change of diet and vitamin intake as dietary folklore is harmful to those that may be looking for relive that medication hasn't given. Also your main argument does not align with the argument of the article and provide different information.

Answer 6

While I did read the article posted in the original claim where Flo Health states bananas are a good food to eat while being on your menstrual cycle as it will help reduce cramping pain, I found more information about how and what bananas do for women on their menstrual cycle. This link, https://postoaker.com/foods-that-help-relieve-menstrual-cramps/ is an ER website where they list/answer medical tips that people have questions on or about. In the article they said that bananas help with discomfort because they contain potassium and vitamin B6 which helps bloating and cramps which are common symptoms of a menstrual cycle. I think the original claim is correct but could have added more reasoning and sources to strengthen the claim.

Answer 7

Bananas are rich in potassium and vitamin B6. Potassium helps reduce muscle cramps and bloating by regulating fluid balance and nerve signals. Vitamin B6 may help with irritability and mood swings associated with PMS. Unfortunately, there is not a single food that will eliminate mental pain but bananas are often recommended by gynecologists and nutritionists as part of a balanced anti-cramp diet.

Office on Women's Health (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services) https://www.womenshealth.gov/

Comments

Good point about potassium helping with bloating and B6 for mood those benefits are well documented. You’re also right that no single food eliminates cramps. Solid breakdown of the nutrients!

Answer 8

I think this is a strong claim, as the source you linked highlights how the high potassium and magnesium in bananas have been linked to easing muscle cramps. This source also shows that it's been reviewed by a medical advisory, which provides the source additional accountability. Another good source I found which seems to similarly touch on the topic:

https://postoaker.com/foods-that-help-relieve-menstrual-cramps/

Comments

This article simply lists nutrients in foods it doesn’t provide evidence that they actually relieve cramps. Where are the studies that show bananas (or any food) make pain better? A blog that says ‘may help’ is not evidence. So, show me any research showing women ate bananas and experienced fewer cramps than women who didn’t.

Answer 9

While Flo is a common period tracking app, it doesn't exactly constitute the claims they make to be factual. If there was another source the claim would be more substantial, however after some research the only other articles written about the claim aren't reputable and aren't very trusted.