Do your ADHD symptoms feel worse in the days before your period?
You’re not imagining it.
The hormonal drop right before menstruation impacts neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA—leading to heightened anxiety, mood swings, and emotional dysregulation.
For neurodivergent women or those with ADHD, this spike in emotional sensitivity can lead to more difficulty focusing, more irritability, emotional flooding, and executive dysfunction. But one simple nutrient may help reduce those symptoms naturally: Vitamin B6.
🧠 The Link Between Anxiety, PMS, and ADHD
Research shows that reducing anxiety—especially the cyclical kind tied to hormonal fluctuations—can lessen the intensity of ADHD symptoms. When your nervous system is calmer, your executive functioning, focus, and emotional regulation improve.
In other words, if you can reduce the premenstrual anxiety that heightens your stress response, you may also find that your ADHD symptoms feel more manageable during this time.
That’s where Vitamin B6 comes in.
🔬 What Studies Say About Vitamin B6 and PMS Mood Support
In several clinical studies, Vitamin B6 supplementation (in the active PLP form) has been linked to a notable reduction in psychological PMS symptoms, including:
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Depression
- Anxiety
Anxiety symptoms saw the most dramatic improvement, often after just two menstrual cycles of daily use.
🔗 Why B6 Matters for Neurotransmitter Function
Vitamin B6, specifically in its active form pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP), is essential for synthesizing the mood-regulating chemicals your brain relies on:
✨ Serotonin
The enzyme AADC converts 5-HTP into serotonin, which stabilizes mood and improves emotional regulation. AADC needs PLP to function.
✨ GABA
The calming neurotransmitter GABA is made from glutamate via the enzyme GAD, which also requires PLP to work. Without it, you may feel overstimulated, anxious, and overwhelmed.
Since many with ADHD already have baseline differences in these neurotransmitters, supporting production with B6 may help regulate both anxiety and executive functioning.
💊 A Supplement Designed for Cycle Support
DITTO Cycle (link in bio) includes B6 in its bioavailable PLP form and delivers 100% of the daily recommended value. Designed with PMS and PMDD in mind, this supplement may be especially helpful for neurodivergent individuals looking to stabilize their mood, reduce anxiety, and ease ADHD symptoms around their period.
🌿 What Else Can Help?
If you’re looking for support that combines hormone-informed therapy and ADHD care, I can help you:
- Track your cycle-based shifts in ADHD symptoms
- Reduce emotional burnout during the luteal phase
- Build routines and data-driven systems that adjust for hormonal variability
- Use evidence-based supplements and behavioral strategies
📅 Schedule an introduction session to get started with a personalized plan.
References:
- Kashanian et al., Int J Gynaecol Obstet (2007)
- Wyatt et al., BMJ (1999)
- Stover & Field, Adv Nutr (2015)
- Field et al., Hum Psychopharmacol (2022)
- Parra et al., Cells (2018)
