Most women and men find it difficult to get 1200 - 1500 mg of needed calcium from their diet. As a rule, I recommend supplementing calcium intake with a calcium-magnesium combination supplement. Magnesium is another supplement that helps the body eliminate excess estrogen. For women, magnesium levels tend to fall at certain times during the menstrual cycle. These shifts in magnesium levels can upset an optimum calcium-magnesium ratio. In proper balance, the body better absorbs and assimilates the calcium it needs and allows calcium to migrate out of tissue and organs where it doesn't belong. Without magnesium, calcium may be not fully utilized. Under absorption of calcium can lead to menstrual cramps. Similar to a Vitamin E deficiency, when the body does not have enough magnesium to support calcium absorption, many women report PMS symptoms such as mood swings, fatigue, headaches and sleeplessness. Premenstrual chocolate craving is a phenomenon that has puzzled a great many physicians. They have been unable to explain why some women have this overwhelming urge to eat lots and lots of chocolate right before their periods yet, at other times of the month, their chocolate cravings remain under control. When I started thinking about it, the PMS- chocolate connection made a lot of sense. You see chocolate is very high in magnesium content. Keeping an optimal balance of calcium and magnesium is critical for optimal physical functioning and for hormone balance. I recommend that each day you take a calcium-magnesium supplement that combines these minerals in a ratio of two parts calcium (1500 mg) to one part magnesium (750 mg). Ingredients: Vitamin D (ergocalciferol), Calcium (carbonate, citrate, aspartate), Magnesium (oxide, citrate, asparatate) Usage: Take three tablets daily or as directed by your health care provider.