The Rise of the PMS supplement: ‘Making it easier to go with the flow’
Symptoms include mood swings, irritability, breast tenderness, cramps, fatigue and bloating that the growing condition-specific offer targets with an arsenal of ingredients from age-old herbal extracts to novel pain fighting molecules in multiple delivery formats.
A recent roundup finds products accompanied by bold messaging that shine light on the cyclical pains and reassure women that they will be able to feel like their best selves every day of the month.
Goli PMS Relief Gummies
Goli PMS Relief Gummies are the latest to enter the category with a shortlist of ingredients and the claim: “Making it easier to go with the flow”. The formula includes 20 mg of chasteberry extract to help relieve mood swings, irritability and breast tenderness; a 125 mg herbal blend of traditional Chinese herb Dong Quai (Angelica sinensis) for cramps, dandelion root for bloating and calming lavender extract; and 4.35 mg of vitamin B6 for nervous system health.
The launch was coupled with an original song about “pre-menstruation frustrations” composed for a national media campaign to de-stigmatize open talk about the menstrual cycle. “Menstruation, frustration and booby inflation, chasteberry works wonders ladiiies,” the jingle starts out.
“We want to change the way women view a topic that tends to be uncomfortable to speak about," said Katie Power, vice president of brand at Goli Nutrition following the March 8 rollout in celebration of women’s day. “We always aim to make health simple, and we aren't shy about trying to break the stigma around women's premenstrual health.”
Wing Woman by Vena
In February, Vena debuted Wing Woman capsules with two ingredients, which the company explains work synergistically to relieve pain via anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pathways.
Packaged as a one-capsule per day serving, the formula includes 150 mg of cramp-reducing Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus) and 525 mg of Levagen+ PEA (palmitoylethanolamide). Levagen, a fatty acid molecule, has been extensively studied and clinically proven to reduce joint pain and stiffness, delay fatigue and reduce anxiety (through its ability to reduce inflammation locally and influence the endocannabinoid system).
“As a women-led company, Vena is proud to introduce Wing Woman natural PMS relief so our customers can finally have more reliable, comfortable periods," said Tamra Judge, cofounder at Vena, a holistic wellness brand founded in 2019 and initially focused on CBD products. “With the continued expansion of our clean, scientifically formulated line of wellness products, we are excited to offer women a potent, game-changing solution that will enable them to get the best out of each day.”
Hum SOS PMS Gummy
Hum Nutrition also rolled out its SOS PMS Gummies in February, responding to consumer demand for gummy-over-pill format. For the formula, it turned to the tried-and-tested chasteberry extract (50 mg standardized to 1.5% agnusides) for relief of hormonal acne, bloating, mood swings, discomfort and breast tenderness, with an added dose of cranberry to support urinary tract health and Vitamin B6 to support overall mood.
“Our customers were looking for an easy-to-take solution for PMS symptoms, so in continuation of our commitment to women's health, we formulated the first vegan gummy to contain clinical levels of standardized chasteberry extract that delivers on both taste and efficacy,” said Dr. Jennifer Martin-Biggers, Hum’s head of scientific affairs and education. “This ingredient has been shown to help manage PMS symptoms in clinical studies.”
In its product launch statement, the company said that the SOS PMS Gummies “will get you back to feeling like yourself during your menstrual cycle.”
Country Life PMS Rescue
PMS Rescue capsules from Country Life entered the space in 2021 as part of a new women’s line of supplements that includes other plant-based formulas Menopause Rescue, Libido Rescue and Urinary Tract Care.
The supplement also targets common symptoms like cramps, water retention and bloating, moodiness and breast tenderness but formulates with 75 mg magnesium citrate, 25 mg cramp bark powder (Viburnam Sp.), 15 mg Safr’Inside saffron extract and 5 mg black cohosh extract in a one-capsule serving.
A number of studies support the effectiveness of magnesium and B6 in reducing the severity of PMS symptoms, a combination that Country Life says “will provide mental and emotional support during PMS, empowering you to feel your best every day of the month.”
Serenol from Bonafide
Serenol from women’s health supplement company Bonafide offers “powerful, hormone-free relief from mood swings, irritability and uneasiness due to hormonal fluctuations like PMS and menopause” in a two-pill-a-day serving to be taken for at least two months.
Primary ingredients include chromium picolinate, Sérélys (a Swedish formula of flower pollen and pistils) and royal jelly (a substance produced by worker bees to feed the queen bee). The company also includes the pollen extract as main ingredient in its menopause formula to provide relief from hot flashes and night sweats.
O Positiv FLO PMS Gummy
FLO Vitamins introduced its successful ring-shaped PMS Gummy in 2018 before rebranding to O Positiv in 2021 to house new products for women including fiber and immunity gummies. Its PMS gummy, touted as the first to market, is formulated with go-to chasteberry, Dong Quai, lemon balm and Vitamin B6 to relieve bloating, hormonal acne, cramps and mood swings.
The brand has since launched a collection of capsules targeting vaginal microbiome, urinary tract and menopause support, as well as MENO gummies, to expand its portfolio of condition-specific supplements for women.
