Note:
Before you start taking any supplement, advice from a healthcare professional is always advised about the benefits and risks.

Dietary supplements are intended to supplement your diet and are different from conventional food. They come in many forms like tablets, capsules, soft gels, powders, gummies, and bars. Common supplements include vitamins, minerals, and botanical herbs.

They help in maintaining overall health and meeting the daily requirements of essential nutrients.

Apart from treating period cramps through traditional methods like medicines, certain supplements have also been mentioned to relieve cramps.

Vitamin D3

Warning:
Always consult a healthcare professional before taking Vitamin D3 supplements.

What Is Vitamin D3?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in a few foods and also available as a dietary supplement. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is used as a dietary supplement when the amount of vitamin D in the diet is not sufficient.

Good sources of Vitamin D include:

• Cod liver oil
• Trout
• Salmon
• Mushrooms
• Milk
• Sardines
• Egg
• Cheese
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Almonds
• Banana
• Sunflower seeds

Note:
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): Average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97–98%) healthy individuals; often used to plan nutritionally adequate diets for individuals.[1]

How Does Vitamin D3 Work?

A suggested mechanism causing primary dysmenorrhea is the increasing production of prostaglandins in the endometrium. Vitamin D metabolites reduce the production of prostaglandin in the uterine endometrium and restrict its biological activity by affecting prostaglandin receptors in the endometrium.[2]

Vitamin D also helps control inflammation by blocking a key pathway (NF-κB) that triggers the release of inflammatory substances like IL-1beta, IL-6, TNF-α, and others. These substances normally increase pain and inflammation in the body.

In menstrual cramps, strong uterine contractions are caused by calcium entering muscle cells, which activates a protein (myosin light-chain kinase). Vitamin D helps relax these muscles by reducing calcium-related contractions through its effect on certain calcium channels.[3]

What Is the Efficacy of Vitamin D3 for Period Cramps?

Methods: These studies looked at women and girls with primary dysmenorrhea, some of whom had low vitamin D levels, and tested whether vitamin D₃ supplements could help with period pain. Participants were randomly assigned to either get vitamin D₃ (in different doses and schedules) or a placebo. Pain levels, number of painful days, and use of painkillers were tracked over one or more menstrual cycles, and one study combined results from several trials to see the overall effect.[3][4][5][6]

Results: In most of the studies, women who took vitamin D₃ had less intense period pain, fewer days of pain, and needed fewer painkillers compared to those who took a placebo. The benefits were often stronger in women who had low vitamin D levels before starting. While not every single symptom improved in all studies, the overall pattern showed vitamin D₃ helping to ease menstrual pain.

Conclusion: Overall, vitamin D₃ supplements seem to be a safe and helpful option for reducing period pain, especially for those with low vitamin D levels. While the results are promising, more research is needed to figure out the best dose and who might benefit the most.

What Are the Side-Effects of Vitamin D3?

Short-term effects: Nausea, vomiting, constipation

Long-term effects: Fatigue, weakness, unintentional weight loss, bone pain, Neurological symptoms - confusion, apathy, agitation, irritability, kidney damage.

Warning:
Toxicity is often linked to serum 25(OH)D levels exceeding 250 nmol/L, with levels above 750 nmol/L considered highly dangerous. The condition can lead to severe outcomes such as tissue calcification and heart issues if not managed promptly.

In conclusion, while vitamin D is vital for maintaining bone health and immune function, care must be taken to avoid excessive intake, especially through supplements. Regular monitoring of serum levels is recommended when using high-dose vitamin D for extended periods.

Vitamin E + Multivitamin

Warning:
Remember to consult a healthcare professional before taking Vitamin E + Multivitamin supplements.

What Is Vitamin E + Multivitamins (Ca, Mg, D3, Zn)?

Vitamin E is found naturally in some foods and is available as a dietary supplement. Vitamin E possesses antioxidant properties.

Good sources of Vitamin E include:

• Sunflower seeds
• Wheat germ oil
• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Mango
• Tomato

Note:
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): Average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97–98%) healthy individuals; often used to plan nutritionally adequate diets for individuals.[7]

How Does Vitamin E Work?

With its antioxidant properties, vitamin E reduces phospholipid peroxidation and inhibits the release of arachidonic acid and its conversion to prostaglandins. Therefore, it can play a significant role in relieving the severity of dysmenorrhea.[8]

What Is the Efficacy of Vitamin E + Multivitamins for Period Cramps?

Methods: Studies were done to assess the efficacy of vitamin E in treating dysmenorrhea. Women with primary dysmenorrhea were randomly assigned to take either vitamin E, calcium (alone or combined with magnesium), or calcium with vitamin D, or a placebo. Vitamin E was given for a few days before and during menstruation, and the minerals from mid-cycle until the pain stopped. Pain levels, duration, and sometimes menstrual blood loss or painkiller use were recorded over several cycles to compare the effects of the supplements with placebo.[9][10][11]

Results: All three studies found that the supplements helped reduce menstrual pain compared to placebo. Vitamin E significantly lowered both the severity and duration of pain, while calcium and magnesium together showed greater pain relief than calcium alone.

Conclusions: Overall, vitamin E and mineral supplements like calcium and magnesium can help lessen the pain of primary dysmenorrhea, making periods more manageable.

What Are the Side-Effects of Vitamin E?

Short-term effects: Weakness, fatigue.

Long-term effects: Bruising, excess bleeding.[12]

Medically reviewed by: Dr Yash Bahuguna

Researched by: Dr Inara Isani

Written by: Avantika Sukhia

References

1. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Nutrient Recommendations and Databases. [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; cited 2025 May 20.

2. Thota C, Laknaur A, Farmer T, Ladson G, Al-Hendy A, Ismail N. Vitamin D regulates contractile profile in human uterine myometrial cells via NF-κB pathway. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2014 Apr;210(4):347.e1–347.e10.

3. Chen YC, Chiang YF, Lin YJ, Huang KC, Chen HY, Hamdy NM, et al. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on primary dysmenorrhea: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Nutrients. 2023 Jun;15(13):2830.

4. Rahnemaei FA, Gholamrezaei A, Afrakhteh M, Zayeri F, Vafa MR, Rashidi A, Ozgoli G. Vitamin D supplementation for primary dysmenorrhea: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Obstetrics & Gynecology Science. 2021 Jul;64(4):353–363.

5. Moini A, Ebrahimi T, Shirzad N, Hosseini R, Radfar M, Bandarian F, et al. The effect of vitamin D on primary dysmenorrhea with vitamin D deficiency: a randomized double-blind controlled clinical trial. Gynecological Endocrinology. 2016 Jun;32(6):502–505.

6. Amzajerdi A, Keshavarz M, Ghorbali E, Pezaro S, Sarvi F. The effect of vitamin D on the severity of dysmenorrhea and menstrual blood loss: a randomized clinical trial. BMC Women’s Health. 2023 Mar;23(1):138.

7. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Nutrient Recommendations and Databases. [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; cited 2025 May 20.

8. Sadeghi N, Paknezhad F, Rashidi Nooshabadi M, Kavianpour M, Jafari Rad S, Khadem Haghighian H. Vitamin E and fish oil, separately or in combination, on treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Gynecological Endocrinology. 2018 Sep;34(9):804–808.

9. Vilvapriya S, Vinodhini S. Vitamin E in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea. International Journal of Reproduction, Contraception, Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2018 Jun;7(6):2257–2261.

10. Charandabi SM, Mirghafourvand M, Nezamivand-Chegini S, Javadzadeh Y. Calcium with and without magnesium for primary dysmenorrhea: a double-blind randomized placebo controlled trial. International Journal of Women’s Health and Reproduction Sciences. 2017 Oct;5(4):332–338.

11. Zarei S, Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Mirghafourvand M, Javadzadeh Y, Effati-Daryani F. Effects of calcium-vitamin D and calcium-alone on pain intensity and menstrual blood loss in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Pain Medicine. 2017 Jan;18(1):3–13.

12. Owen KN, Dewald O. Vitamin E Toxicity. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021.