Would You Try A Period Elixir?

For some people, their monthly cycle is business as usual. For others, it can feel like a series of nonstop symptoms: mood swings, bloating, cravings, fatigue, cramps, headaches, and that heavy, uncomfortable feeling that weighs you down for days. About 80% of people experience period cramp pain at some point and up to 8% have PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

With those numbers at play, it makes sense that a new period product would be buzzy, especially one that’s designed to help you feel better during that time of the month — and that’s what The Cycle aims to do. This brand offers four fruity “period drinks” that contain a specific blend of herbs meant to make symptoms a little milder by supporting menstrual wellness, hormonal balance, skin and hair health, and nutrient absorption all month long.

Since The Cycle is a drink, it kicks in faster than herbs in pill form, offers a higher dose of each ingredient, and, as a result, can provide instant relief. One reviewer wrote, “Super easy to just grab these when I don’t feel good. They made my body feel way more chill and more normal.” Another said “I got this because my period was getting kinda unbearable... It’s simple, you just drink it, and it actually helped me feel better.”

As someone who experiences each and every menstrual cycle symptom, I knew I had to give it a try. Here’s what to know.

Fast Facts

• Price: $59.88 for a 12-pack
• Best for: Easing PMS, period symptoms, and more
• My rating: 4/5
• What I like: Functional beverage, great taste, organic ingredients
• Where to buy: Online, in Sprouts Farmers Markets, and at some small grocers

What Are “The Cycle” Drinks?

The Cycle was founded by CEO Anastasia Sartan, a mom of two who has years of experience in startups and tech. When she was diagnosed with PMDD, a severe form of PMS, it inspired her to create a product that could soothe any type of period-related symptom. “The turning point was standing at the Erewhon shelf with cramps,” Sartan tells Bustle. “There were 100 functional drinks — one for libido, one for longevity, one for gut health — and zero for periods.”

The line of beverages includes four options — Pre Period Comfort, Period Comfort, Peri Comfort, and Meno Comfort — that come in cans and contain natural botanicals. One of the main players is Himalayan Holy Fruit, or sea buckthorn, which is a source of omega-7 and vitamin C.

“I took a shot of sea buckthorn juice one morning and felt relief, and I was genuinely shocked,” she says. From there, it became the foundation of the drinks, and Sartan worked with herbalists to add other ingredients that are known to be helpful for menstrual cycles.

When sipping Pre Period Comfort, you’ll get dandelion root, chaste berry, cramp bark, ginger, and Shatavari root. It’s recommended to drink one to three cans a day during your luteal phase — aka the two weeks before your period — to ease symptoms like mood swings and bloating.

According to Paige Lindgren, a certified hormone specialist, holistic nutritionist, and author of Sync & Savor, many of these ingredients have been used for ages in traditional herbal medicine.

“Chaste berry, also called vitex, is probably the most well-known for PMS support,” she tells Bustle. “It’s often used to support progesterone levels and may help with symptoms like mood swings, breast tenderness, irritability, and hormonal acne.”

Lindgren notes that ginger has some solid research behind it for menstrual pain and inflammation, and it may also help with nausea and bloating. Cramp bark is often used to relax muscles while dandelion root is great for digestion and water retention — meaning this drink could ease puffiness and bloating before your period.

Then there’s Period Comfort, which contains Himalayan holy fruit, as well as cold-brewed herbs like nettle leaf, raspberry leaf, lemon balm, and motherwort. You can have one to three cans a day (or more) during your period.

According to Lindgren, raspberry leaf is often referred to as a “uterine tonic” and has been used to ease cramps, while nettle leaf is rich in magnesium and can aid in muscle relaxation. The Lemon Balm is a good addition, too, as it helps with stress management. “Overall, these herbs are commonly associated with support for cramps, bloating, mood shifts, fatigue, and general menstrual discomfort,” she says.

The other drinks, Peri Comfort and Meno Comfort, can be sipped whenever you want for holistic well-being if you’re in perimenopause or menopause. The drinks taste like a fruity ginger shot, and they aren’t fizzy so you won’t bloat.

Trying The Drink

When I have PMS, I feel annoyed by everyone and everything. The irritation is tough to shake, and so is the bloating. I’ll walk around wondering why I’m miserable, and then it’ll hit me: my period is a few days away. In those moments, I often sigh and resign to the fact that I’m about to be tired, cranky, and just not myself for the next few days.

During my most recent premenstrual phase, however, I grabbed the Pre Period drink to see how it would make me feel. Sometimes, when you’re in a bad mood, doing something different can be all you need to snap out of it. It was soothing to sip the drink — which had an herbal orange juice flavor — because it felt like I was taking a moment for self-care. And as the day went on, my mood lifted. Was it the sunny weather? Or the sea buckthorn? I didn’t care, as long as life felt a little lighter.

Even better, The Cycle just won The Beverage Forum's Most Innovative Beverage Brand award, so I’m clearly not the only fan.

During my actual period, I reached for Period Comfort. My period is often just as bad as my PMS. I get cramps, headaches, and awful fatigue, but this one felt a little less hellacious. I noticed that I had less water retention than usual (read: not as bloated) and also less heaviness and cramping. While I still secretly wanted a nap, I even managed to go for a walk on day two.

The Takeaway

According to Sartan, the sea buckthorn gets working on inflammation right away, which is why 85% of people feel same-day relief when drinking The Cycle, but the benefits also build up in your body overtime.

Could I be one of the 85% who felt better? Maybe. At the very least, changing up how I cared for myself during that time of the month was a welcome refresh.