It has been shown in recent studies that one of the main reasons behind a female suffering with the effects of heavy periods could very well be a deficiency of Vitamin A in the diet. 
Although the levels of this particular vitamin do fluctuate in the body over the course of one monthly cycle, which in turn shows a correlation between levels of the vitamin and the levels of various female related hormones, a complete lack of Vitamin A over a long period of time could quite literally lead to rather heavy bleeding at THAT time of the month.
One particular study actually showed that those poor ladies that suffered at the hands of heavy periods actually had less than half of the Vitamin A in their bodies than those that had what were to be considered normal periods, which certainly does suggest a link between the two!
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In the same experiment, females that usually suffered with heavy bleeding when menstruating were given a course that contained high levels of the vitamin A, and within as little as 35 days, over half of the females within the study showed a definite improvement with regards to their periods – they became “normal” periods, 14 of these women showed some improvement, and when all of the research and evidence was put together, almost 95% of all of the female that took part in the activity had some sort of improvement; all in the hands of the important vitamin that their bodies were lacking.
In some cases, a lack of Vitamin A might not even be the problem that leads to heavy periods; it could be something as simple as other minerals and vitamins not using the Vitamin A “properly” within the body. One perfect example of this is with zinc – when Vitamin A is released from its storage facility, as such, from the liver, it requires a special enzyme to help it become released. Zinc is essential for this releasing to occur, and when this is lacking within the body, the Vitamin A simple cannot do its job. In conclusion, this means that lacking in other minerals and vitamins could affect the way that Vitamin A is used in the body, and therefore cause side effects such as heavy periods.
The Pill
Most women, when they visit their doctors with regards to their heavy periods, are prescribed a contraceptive pill in a bid to amend the heavy flow. Many of these women also find that this resolves the situation quite nicely. You may be wondering what this has to do with minerals and vitamins in the body. In a nutshell, the pill helps to increase the levels of Vitamin A in the body. Now do you see the connection? Smart, eh?
Unfortunately, this also means that when a female quits taking the pill, her levels of Vitamin A decrease, which in turn can lead to the liver stores being depleted. This is what causes the heavy periods when a woman stops taking her contraceptive pill.
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Checking out the Vitamins
So, aside from taking the pill, what other things can help with heavy periods? Well Vitamin C is one thing that has been shown to help. When taken with foods that are rich in iron, the absorption of the iron itself from sources that are non-animal based is increased, which in turn can lead to better periods.
Bioflavonoids can also help – these are mainly found underneath the surface of your skin, and when combined with the Vitamin C and iron-rich foods, you have a recipe for success to achieve lighter periods.
Of course, the most sensible option you have when trying to combat heavy and painful periods is to look at taking a daily multivitamin that contains iron, especially if you have been suffering for some time. It is suggested that amounts exceed 20mg or iron are particularly useful after a heavy period, and you will notice that many multivitamins will offer around 10mg of that, leaving the rest up to you to find iron rich foods such as spinach, or the popular drink Guinness.
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