Vitamin B6: what the research says

Do nutritional interventions help with emotional symptoms of PMS?

Vitamin B6, calcium, and zinc consistently improved emotional PMS symptoms. Other nutrients like vitamin D, magnesium, and soy had insufficient evidence supporting their use.

Does Vitex (chaste tree) help PMS and PMDD symptoms?

Most studies found Vitex better than placebo for PMS. For PMDD, results were mixed: one study showed it equal to fluoxetine, while another found fluoxetine more effective. Side effects were mild.

What are PMS and PMDD, and how common are they?

PMS affects 20-32% of women before menopause with moderate mood and physical symptoms. PMDD is more severe and affects 3-8% of women, causing significant problems at work or socially.

Which herbs, vitamins and minerals help treat PMS?

Only calcium has good evidence to work for PMS. Chasteberry and vitamin B6 may help, but most of the 62 products people try lack proper research.

What treatments work for premenstrual syndrome?

Many treatments have been studied for PMS, but researchers face a major challenge: there is no standard way to measure symptom severity, making it difficult to know which treatments truly work.

What complementary and alternative medicines help with women's reproductive health issues?

Acupressure helps with pregnancy nausea and calcium helps with PMS. Vitamin B6, ginger, magnesium, chaste-tree berry, low-fat diet, exercise, and fish oil show promise but need more research.

Which PMS treatments have good scientific evidence?

Calcium at 1200 mg daily and certain antidepressants have good evidence of working. Many popular treatments like vitamin B6, evening primrose oil, and birth control pills lack strong evidence. Some treatments like progesterone do not work.

Which dietary supplements help PMS?

Only calcium has strong evidence from large rigorous trials. Magnesium, vitamin E, and carbohydrate supplements show limited promise but need more research. Vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil have mixed results.

Does vitamin B6 supplement help treat PMS symptoms?

Yes, vitamin B6 is beneficial for treating premenstrual syndrome according to a systematic review of published studies. However, the abstract does not provide specific details about the magnitude of benefit.

Does Vitex agnus castus work better than vitamin B6 for premenstrual tension syndrome?

Both reduced symptoms by similar amounts (47-48%), but more women on Vitex reported excellent results and had no remaining complaints, suggesting Vitex may work better for PMTS.

Does vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) help premenstrual syndrome?

Vitamin B6 showed a small benefit overall after 3 cycles, though it did not clearly improve individual symptoms more than placebo.

What are the causes, diagnosis, and treatments for PMS and PMDD?

This review consolidates what doctors know about PMS and PMDD. PMS affects 12-98% of reproductive-age women and PMDD affects 2-5%. Treatments range from lifestyle changes, therapy, and vitamins to medications like SSRIs and oral contraceptives.

Can diet and nutrition help reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. High intake of calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin B6 reduce PMS symptoms. A high-fiber, low-sugar diet with omega-3 fatty acids also appears helpful.

Do yoga and dietary changes help with PMS symptoms?

Yes, both yoga and specific dietary supplements improve PMS symptoms and quality of life. Combining yoga and diet changes together appears to work better than either alone.

Do certain nutrients and body weight affect PMS?

Yes. Higher energy intake and fat intake were significantly related to PMS, as was abnormal body weight (both underweight and overweight). Other nutrients tested were not significantly related.

Does vitamin B6 reduce PMS symptoms in teenagers?

Yes. Teenagers given vitamin B6 had significant reductions in PMS severity, particularly for mood-related symptoms like depression and anxiety.

Does a combination of evening primrose oil, tocotrienol, and vitamin B6 reduce premenstrual symptoms?

Yes. In women with PMS taking this combination for 3 months, premenstrual symptoms improved significantly. The overall PMS score dropped by 61.03%, menstrual pain dropped by 75.20%, and breast tenderness dropped by 82.54%.

How do lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, and stress affect menstrual health and PMS?

Lifestyle factors significantly affect menstrual health and PMS. A balanced diet with adequate vitamins, regular exercise, good stress management, and healthy weight can reduce PMS symptoms, while poor nutrition, high stress, extreme weight, and substance use make them worse.

Can diet help reduce PMS symptoms?

A review of past studies found that calcium, vitamin B6, and chasteberry fruit likely help PMS symptoms, while saffron, ginger, and high vitamin D have weaker evidence.

Can herbs and supplements help with PMS symptoms?

Herbs like chaste berry and supplements like calcium and magnesium may help with PMS. Evidence is strongest when combined with lifestyle changes and therapy, though more research is needed.

Are zinc and antioxidant levels different in women with PMS?

Yes. Women with PMS have lower zinc and antioxidant levels than women without PMS. Antioxidant levels appear linked to diet, particularly intake of antioxidant-rich foods.

Do vitamins and minerals help reduce PMS symptoms?

Some vitamins and minerals appear to help reduce PMS symptoms, including vitamin E, B6, D and minerals like magnesium, zinc, and calcium. These findings come from reviewing studies published between 1980 and 2020.

How do food choices and supplements affect PMS symptoms?

Certain vitamins and minerals appear to reduce PMS symptoms based on reviewed research. Vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and omega-3 were identified as potentially helpful.

Do micronutrient supplements work better than vitamin B6 for PMS?

Both micronutrient supplements and vitamin B6 reduced PMS symptoms equally well. For very severe PMS (PMDD), micronutrients may work better than B6.

Does whole body vibration work as well as resistive exercise for PMS symptoms?

Yes. Both whole body vibration and resistive exercise significantly reduced PMS symptoms, and they worked about equally well in this study.

What treatments help premenstrual syndrome?

Both medications and non-drug treatments help PMS. Non-drug options including herbs, supplements, exercise, and therapy are recommended as they have fewer side effects.

Do evening primrose oil or vitamin B6 ease PMS symptoms better than placebo?

Evening primrose oil significantly reduced PMS symptom severity, while vitamin B6 did not beat placebo in this trial.

Do vitamin B6 and vitamin E help reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. Both vitamin B6 and vitamin E significantly reduced PMS symptoms compared to placebo. The two vitamins were equally effective with no significant difference between them.

Do auriculotherapy and vitamin B6 both reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes, both auriculotherapy and 40mg daily vitamin B6 reduced PMS symptoms significantly and equally. This is a small study with 42 women per treatment group.

Does the herb chaste-berry (Vitex agnus-castus) really reduce PMS symptoms?

A pooled analysis of 14 trials found a large average benefit of chaste-berry over placebo for PMS symptoms, but the underlying studies had a high risk of bias and very inconsistent results, so this cannot be taken as a firm conclusion.

Does combining calcium and vitamin B6 reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

Yes, combining calcium and vitamin B6 reduced PMS symptoms significantly more than vitamin B6 alone in university students.

Does St. John's Wort or vitamin B6 treat premenstrual syndrome better than placebo?

Both St. John's Wort and vitamin B6 reduced PMS symptoms more effectively than placebo. St. John's Wort reduced symptoms by 40%, vitamin B6 by 38%, and placebo by 29%.

How often do doctors diagnose PMS and what treatments do they prescribe?

PMS diagnoses recorded in UK primary care fell dramatically from 8.43 per 1000 women in 1995 to 1.72 in 2013. Treatment shifted from progestogens and vitamin B6 to SSRIs and oral contraceptives.

Do relaxation and vitamin B6 reduce emotional symptoms of PMS?

Both reduced emotional symptoms compared to control. Relaxation scored 0.3±0.7, vitamin B6 scored 1.2±0.2, and control scored 1.6±0.4, showing relaxation was more effective than vitamin B6.

Does aerobic exercise reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms in young women?

Yes. Three months of aerobic exercise combined with vitamin B6 and calcium supplements significantly reduced all PMS symptoms.

Does vitamin B6 help reduce PMS symptoms in teenage girls?

Yes. Teenage girls who took vitamin B6 had a greater decrease in PMS symptoms compared to girls who received placebo.

Which supplement works best for PMS - vitamin E, vitamin B6, calcium, or omega-3?

All four supplements and placebo reduced symptom severity over 3 months. The study does not specify which was most effective.

Do magnesium or vitamin B6 reduce premenstrual syndrome severity?

Both magnesium and vitamin B6 significantly reduced PMS symptoms more than placebo, with B6 being most effective.

Does eating more B vitamins help prevent PMS?

Women eating more riboflavin and thiamine from food had lower PMS risk, but B vitamin pills did not help.

Do magnesium and magnesium plus vitamin B6 reduce PMS severity?

Yes. Both magnesium and magnesium plus vitamin B6 reduced PMS symptoms. The combination of magnesium and B6 worked better than magnesium alone or placebo.

Can femicomfort (vitamin B6, E, and evening primrose oil) relieve PMS symptoms?

Yes. Women taking femicomfort reported relief of PMS symptoms compared to placebo. The supplement was well-tolerated with no significant increase in side effects.

Does vitamin B6 reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

Yes, vitamin B6 reduced PMS severity more than placebo, particularly emotional symptoms. Both groups improved during the second cycle, but B6 showed more improvement.

Does bromocriptine or pyridoxine help reduce PMS symptoms?

Both bromocriptine and pyridoxine significantly reduced PMS symptoms over 3 months. Pyridoxine showed a higher response rate with fewer side effects.

Which dietary supplements and herbs work for PMS?

Calcium and vitamin B6 have the best evidence for PMS. Evening primrose oil and magnesium have conflicting results. Other supplements like Vitex need more and better research.

Does aspirin or vitamins help with cyclic breast pain before your period?

No, neither aspirin nor a vitamin combination worked better than placebo. The placebo group actually improved the most.

What treatments help PMS symptoms?

Vitamin B6, calcium, and a type of antidepressant called serotonin reuptake inhibitors all help PMS symptoms. The antidepressants work best.

Does vitamin B6 help with premenstrual syndrome?

Yes, a meta-analysis of 6 controlled trials found that vitamin B6 is effective for treating PMS.

What treatments do doctors prescribe for PMS?

Hormone treatments were prescribed most often, used in over 40% of cases. Antidepressants rose from 2% to 16% of prescriptions, while vitamin B6 fell from 22% to 11%. Overall PMS diagnoses halved over five years.

Does magnesium and vitamin B6 together help with anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms?

A combination of 200 mg magnesium plus 50 mg vitamin B6 daily showed a small benefit for anxiety-related symptoms like nervousness and mood swings. Individual supplements alone did not work.

Does vitamin B-6 help treat premenstrual symptoms?

Possibly yes. Nine trials show vitamin B-6 was 2.32 times more likely than placebo to improve overall symptoms and 1.69 times more likely to help depressive symptoms, but most trials were low quality.

Which medication works best for severe PMS: fluoxetine, propranolol, alprazolam, or pyridoxine?

Fluoxetine at 10 mg reduced symptoms by 65.4%, the most of any drug tested. Propranolol reduced symptoms by 58.7%, alprazolam by 55.6%, and pyridoxine by 45.3%. Placebo also helped significantly, reducing symptoms by 39.4-46.1%.

Does diet and supplements help PMS?

Yes, some dietary changes and supplements may help PMS. Magnesium and vitamin B6 are helpful for some women. Results usually appear after 3-4 months.

What medications work for PMS and are they safe?

Three classes of drugs have proven effective: benzodiazepines (especially alprazolam), SSRIs (especially fluoxetine), and GnRH agonists. However, all have significant side effects that doctors must weigh against benefits.

Does vitamin B6 reduce PMS mood symptoms?

Yes, vitamin B6 at 50 mg per day significantly improved mood-related symptoms like depression, irritability, and tiredness. It did not help other PMS symptoms. Only about half the women finished the study.

Do women with PMS have vitamin or mineral deficiencies?

No. The study found no difference in vitamin and mineral levels between women with PMS and healthy women, so deficiencies probably do not cause PMS.

Do women with PMS have different brain chemistry, and can vitamin B6 fix it?

Women with PMS have higher levels of a brain chemical linked to stress. Vitamin B6 did not reduce these levels.

Does vitamin B6 help premenstrual tension symptoms?

No. Vitamin B6 did not significantly improve PMS symptoms in this small study, even though it increased a blood marker of serotonin activity.

Does vitamin B6 help with PMS symptoms?

No, 100 mg per day of vitamin B6 did not improve PMS symptoms in this study of 34 women.

Does vitamin B6 help premenstrual symptoms?

Vitamin B6 may help some premenstrual symptoms like dizziness and vomiting, but does not help physical symptoms or mood as much. However, there are concerns about taking these doses.

Is low vitamin B6 a cause of PMS?

No. Vitamin B6 levels were similar in women with severe PMS and those without symptoms, suggesting B6 deficiency does not cause PMS.

Does vitamin B-6 help premenstrual tension?

No. Vitamin B-6 at 100 mg daily was no better than placebo for relieving premenstrual tension.

What causes PMS symptoms and how should it be treated?

The four days before a period are when most PMS happens, causing irritability, depression, anxiety and fatigue. Treatments include vitamin B6, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication and therapy, though evidence is mixed.

Does evening primrose oil help premenstrual syndrome?

Yes. Studies found evening primrose oil highly effective for depression, irritability, breast pain, and fluid retention. The strongest evidence comes from 3 double-blind controlled trials.

Do different birth control pills have different effects on premenstrual symptoms?

Yes, women taking birth control pills containing the progestogen lynestrenol had significantly more premenstrual depression and belly swelling than women taking pills containing norgestrel.

Do dydrogesterone and pyridoxine improve premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

Yes. Dydrogesterone led to 73% sustained improvement and pyridoxine led to 63% sustained improvement. However, placebo also caused 43% improvement in the dydrogesterone trial, which shows the mind-body effect is substantial.

Does dydrogesterone or pyridoxine work better for premenstrual syndrome?

Dydrogesterone worked for 70% of women with premenstrual syndrome, while pyridoxine worked for 55%. At least 3 months of treatment is needed to see if either helps.

Can changing your diet help with period and PMS symptoms like fatigue, mood swings and bloating?

This paper suggests certain foods may help, but it is not a real study on people, it is a write-up of general nutrition advice based on a newspaper health article, so it does not prove anything.

How can lifestyle changes help reduce premenstrual syndrome?

Most women (75%) experience some premenstrual symptoms, but about 10% have severe symptoms. Exercise, diet changes, sleep, and stress reduction can help manage PMS.

Does a multinutrient supplement reduce premenstrual and menstrual symptoms?

The supplement appears to reduce symptom severity and duration, with 88% of women reporting reduced symptom severity by the third cycle. However, this pilot study lacked a placebo control group, so we cannot be certain the supplement itself caused the improvement.

Is poor nutrition linked to worse PMS symptoms in young women?

Yes. Women with unbalanced nutrition were significantly more likely to have moderate to severe PMS, especially those lacking protein, calcium, and vitamin B6.

Does PMS affect how well female martial arts athletes perform?

Yes. Most female martial arts athletes experienced severe PMS symptoms, and PMS significantly affected their sports performance, though most still achieved adequate performance levels.

Does nutrition affect PMS and menstrual cycle regularity?

Yes, good nutrition supports regular periods and helps PMS, especially anti-inflammatory diets with magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin D. More research is needed for specific dietary guidelines.

Does a supplement with Rhodiola, Vitex, and vitamin B6 reduce PMS?

The supplement improved mood and antioxidant protection in women taking it, but the study could not tell if this was better than placebo because both groups improved similarly.

Does nutrition and physical activity affect PMS symptoms?

Women with worse PMS symptoms eat fewer nutrients. More physical activity was linked with worse PMS symptoms, which is opposite to what researchers expected.

Does a supplement with Vitex, vitamin B6, and magnesium reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. The supplement was more effective than standard therapy alone at reducing PMS symptoms and improving quality of life, with the best results when combined with standard treatment.

Does diet and stress affect premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

Yes. Energy intake, certain types of fat, vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium, and psychological stress were linked to PMS symptoms. Protein and carbohydrate were not.

Does a B6 supplement with herbs help sleep and anxiety in PMS and menopause?

Yes, the supplement improved sleep problems by 46.6% and anxiety by 23.2% in women with PMS and those in menopause transition.

Does weight and vitamin B6 affect PMS?

Women with higher weight had more severe PMS. Vitamin B6 intake showed no link to PMS severity.

Does eating avocado reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. PMS symptom scores dropped significantly when first-year students ate avocado, from an average of 18.20 to 14.13.

Does stress from studying medicine make PMS worse?

Medical students had higher PMS scores than non-medical students (93.791 vs 88.473), suggesting stress may worsen PMS. Both groups scored above the PMS threshold. Without a control group, we cannot be certain stress is the cause.

How is severe PMS (PMDD) diagnosed and what treatments do doctors recommend first?

Doctors use specific symptoms to diagnose PMDD. Several treatment options exist, though some common supplements haven't been proven to help.

Does laser acupuncture with relaxation technique help premenstrual tension?

Yes. Laser acupuncture combined with a relaxation technique reduced muscle tension, heart rate, and breathing rate in women with premenstrual tension.

Do lifestyle and nutrition affect menstrual symptoms?

Yes. Women with menstrual symptoms had different eating patterns and lifestyle factors than those without symptoms. Strong links were found between diet and the type of menstrual pattern.

Does a supplement with krill oil, vitamins, and plant ingredients help PMS symptoms?

Yes. All 29 women reported significant improvement in 10 PMS symptoms after 3 months. However, this open-label study had no control group, so improvement might partly be due to placebo effect.

Do overweight or obese women have worse PMS than normal weight women?

Yes. Overweight and obese women reported significantly more pain and mood-related PMS symptoms compared to normal weight women.

How should women manage PMS based on symptom severity?

Treatment for PMS depends on how severe your symptoms are. Women with mild symptoms can often manage with lifestyle changes. Women with more severe symptoms may need medication plus lifestyle changes or just medication.

Do traditional Chinese herbal medicines work for PMS?

One well-designed study shows Jingqianping granule works for PMS, but there are only 2 studies total so we need more evidence.

Does vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) help with premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

This question cannot be answered here: the title refers to a trial of vitamin B6 for PMS, but the abstract text supplied is actually about the chemistry of breaking down dextran (a sugar polymer) using ultrasound, with no mention of vitamin B6, PMS or any women at all.

How does diet affect a woman's ability to get pregnant?

Folic acid supplements, omega-3 fatty acids, and healthy diets with seafood, poultry, whole grains, fruits and vegetables are linked to better fertility. These findings come from reviewing studies rather than testing one new approach.

Does vitamin B6 treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

Results are not reported in the available abstract, so we cannot determine whether vitamin B6 was effective.

Does what you eat affect your period symptoms?

Yes. Women with and without period symptoms had different diets, and certain nutrients were linked to having fewer premenstrual symptoms.

Can vitamin B6 supplements treat health conditions beyond nutritional deficiency?

Many conditions have been treated with B6, but there is little evidence from controlled trials that it actually works for them.

Does vitamin B6 help with PMS symptoms?

About 5% of women who ovulate experience multiple premenstrual symptoms. Vitamin B6 has been recommended for these symptoms, though the available information is limited.

What treatments actually help with PMS?

This review says treatment depends on your symptoms, and that birth control pills, water pills (diuretics), antidepressants, talk therapy and nutritional supplements have helped some women, while high-dose vitamin B6, progesterone, alprazolam and GnRH agonist drugs are generally not recommended.

How common are premenstrual symptoms, what treatments do women use, and do they work?

Between 11-32% reported severe or extreme symptoms, and 85% had tried treatments. Women reported that dietary changes, evening primrose oil, vitamins, and exercise worked best.

Does a supplement with linolenic acid, calcium, and iron help premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

A small trial found improvements in energy, PMS symptoms, and skin condition after two months. However, the abstract provides no specific numbers, so we cannot know how large the improvements were.

How should PMS treatment be chosen based on symptoms?

Treatment should be matched to the specific symptoms that need control. This article reviews categories of symptoms, when they occur during the cycle, and theories about what causes PMS.

What treatments are available for late luteal phase dysphoric disorder?

Many treatments exist, including medications, vitamins, and hormones. However, non-drug approaches like diet, exercise, and psychotherapy have received less research attention.

Do women with premenstrual syndrome have lower vitamin B6 levels?

No clear difference was found between women with PMS and women without PMS. However, the sample was very small, so some women with PMS might have low B6 that this study could not detect.

Does danazol, a synthetic steroid, relieve PMS symptoms?

In this small case study of 21 women, danazol relieved PMS symptoms in up to 85% of patients when combined with other treatment approaches. It worked best for women whose main symptom was breast pain.

What is PMS and how is it treated?

PMS is a group of physical and emotional symptoms that start 5 to 8 days before menstruation and disappear 34 to 48 hours after the period begins. Many treatments including hormones, vitamins, and other medications can help.

Does vitamin B6 help PMS?

The evidence is weak. A review of 12 controlled trials found some positive effects, but the trials were too small to be convincing about whether vitamin B6 truly helps PMS.

Does exercise, rest, or vitamin B6 help PMS symptoms?

Yes. Exercise, rest, and keeping a symptom diary helped over 80% of women who tried them.

Does vitamin B6 help treat premenstrual syndrome?

Yes, vitamin B6 appears to help most women with PMS. At higher daily doses (160-200 mg), 60 percent experienced good improvement with no significant remaining symptoms, and 70-88 percent experienced at least some useful improvement.

Does vitamin B6 help premenstrual syndrome?

Some women with PMS improved with vitamin B6 supplementation. Better results were seen at doses of 150-200 mg per day rather than lower doses.

Can taking too much vitamin B6 cause nerve damage?

High-dose B6 caused nerve symptoms in about 60% of women studied, but the symptoms went away when they stopped taking it. The length of time taking B6 seemed to matter more than the dose.

Do vitamin and mineral supplements help PMS?

Possibly. Women with PMS had significant deficiencies in vitamin B6 and magnesium, and a multivitamin/multimineral supplement at the appropriate dose improved premenstrual tension symptoms.

What do general practitioners think about PMS and women who have it?

Most doctors believed PMS has a hormonal cause. About half thought women with PMS are no different from other women, while some thought they were more hypochondriacal, introverted, and intelligent. We don't know if these doctors' beliefs were actually correct.

Does a combination of stress reduction, exercise, and diet help PMS?

Yes, a combination approach that includes stress reduction, increased exercise, and proper diet has been found effective for treating PMS. Medications can be added when needed.

How should PMS be diagnosed and treated?

PMS is diagnosed based on recurring symptoms with a symptom-free week in the first half of the cycle. Treatment should start with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, with medication added if these do not work.

How should doctors treat PMS?

By acknowledging the problem and suggesting lifestyle changes, diet modifications, and vitamins. For severe symptoms, other medications may be needed.

Can nutrition and diet changes help with PMS symptoms?

Research on the nutritional theory of PMS is controversial, but practical diet changes may help. Eating balanced meals, limiting salt and caffeine, choosing complex carbohydrates over refined sugar, and getting enough calcium may improve symptoms. Large supplement doses are not recommended.

Do women with PMS have lower vitamin B6 levels?

No. Vitamin B6 levels were the same in women with PMS and control women. However, women with PMS showed slightly higher levels of certain tryptophan breakdown products, which deserves further study.

What did doctors know about PMS diagnosis and treatment in 1985?

There was no agreement on how to diagnose PMS or what to treat it with, though doctors recognized a link between PMS and mood disorders like depression.

What is the best approach to treating PMS?

Start with reassurance, dietary changes, and regular exercise. If that does not work, add vitamin B6, and optionally vitamin E or zinc. If still not effective, add a diuretic or natural progesterone. For very resistant cases, bromocriptine or danazol may be considered.

What causes premenstrual syndrome and what treatments work?

Premenstrual syndrome likely has both psychological and physical causes. Both medication and non-medication approaches, including stress management and self-care skills, may help treat it.

Are hormone and electrolyte levels different in women with PMS compared to women without it?

No clear difference in most hormones or electrolytes. A small number of women with severe PMS had some hormone changes, but they were minor.

What did researchers in the 1980s understand about how the menstrual cycle affects mood?

This older review says many women notice mood changes across their cycle, and the researchers' own work found hormone disturbances and psychological difficulties in women with premenstrual syndrome, but the condition was still poorly understood and under-researched.

What is premenstrual syndrome and what treatments have been suggested?

Premenstrual syndrome is a long-term, repeating disorder with emotional, behavioral, and physical symptoms in the week before menstruation. The cause and best treatment are unknown, though vitamin B6, progesterone, and bromocriptine have been suggested.

What is premenstrual syndrome and how is it treated?

At least 25% of menstruating women experience PMS. Both non-medication approaches and medications can help manage the condition.

Do the treatments doctors use for premenstrual tension actually work?

Doctors have tried many treatments for PMS including hormones, vitamins, and psychotherapy, but the results are mixed and conflicting. Without understanding the cause of PMS, there is no single universally accepted effective treatment.

Does vitamin E help breast symptoms in premenstrual syndrome?

Yes. Vitamin E reduced some breast symptoms in women with PMS compared to placebo.

Which nutritional supplements help treat premenstrual syndrome?

Vitamin B6 at 40-100 mg twice daily is widely used for PMS, especially in milder cases. Evening primrose oil at 2-3 g per day shows encouraging early results. Other nutritional approaches may help but are unlikely to provide complete relief alone.

Does nutrition affect premenstrual symptoms?

Yes. Different types of premenstrual symptoms may respond to different nutritional approaches: vitamin B6 (200-800 mg per day) for anxiety and water retention, magnesium for appetite and cravings, and limiting salt (to 3 grams per day), caffeine, and nicotine.

What treatments work for premenstrual syndrome?

No single treatment works for all women. Many different drugs have been tested but show inconsistent results. About 50% of improvement appears to be placebo effect.

Does vitamin B6 help side effects from birth control pills?

Research over 15 years shows that women on birth control pills often have low vitamin B6 levels. Taking 40 mg of vitamin B6 daily improved these levels and relieved symptoms like depression, anxiety, and low libido.

Does vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) help treat PMS symptoms?

Yes, vitamin B6 appears to help. Over half of the 70 women studied showed considerable benefit, especially for headaches, bloating, and mood changes.

What causes premenstrual tension?

Researchers believe several hormone-related factors are involved, though the exact cause is still uncertain. These include progesterone deficiency in about 30% of women and changes in brain chemicals.