The Supplement That Finally Cured My Period Pain

My Story:

When I was in my early 20s, I used an exfoliating facial cream every night. It contained parabens—lots of parabens—and other chemicals. The advertisers claimed their product was safe, even for pregnant women. At the time, I didn’t understand how dangerous parabens could be when absorbed through the skin. Honestly, I barely knew anything about parabens at all. We were never taught about their extreme dangers in nursing school at that time.

I used the product religiously for many years, as part of what felt like a “proper” skincare routine—the kind you associate with being a well-groomed woman. I continued using it, completely unaware of its long-term effects. Eventually, I began experiencing painful periods, something I had never dealt with as a teenager.

How Parabens Caused My Painful Periods:

The skin is composed of several layers. The outermost layer, known as the stratum corneum, serves as the primary protective barrier. When this layer is compromised, the uptake of foreign substances can increase. The layers beneath the stratum corneum provide significantly less barrier protection. Frequent use of exfoliating creams can damage or weaken the stratum corneum, increasing skin permeability.

Parabens are hydrophobic in nature and can more easily penetrate the skin, gaining access to the blood supply within the dermal rete ridges. Once these substances enter the bloodstream, they are transported to the liver for metabolism. Long-term exposure may lead to hormonal dysfunction, as the liver plays a critical role in estrogen metabolism.

Steps I Took to Solve the Problem:

While studying holistic functional medicine, I gained more knowledge about how to manage chronic conditions like mine. At that time, I was already a vegetarian, yet I still experienced dysmenorrhea. I tried ginger, which helped temporarily, but once its effect wore off, the pain returned and even interfered with my work.

I then tried probiotics and liver detox supplements and noticed gradual improvement and reduced pain over time. I also began juicing fruits and vegetables, which further lessened the pain. One day, I decided to try a B-complex supplement from Life Extension after reading about its benefits in Dr. Weatherby’s book. To my surprise, for the first time in my life, I experienced a completely pain-free menstrual period.

I continued taking the supplement for about three months. At times, I stopped taking it to see whether the pain would return, and it did when I was not using the supplement. However, eventually, I reached a point where I no longer experienced painful periods, even without taking the supplement.