title: Effect of a nutritional supplement on premenstrual symptomatology in women with premenstrual syndrome: a double-blind longitudinal study.
abstract: To assess the effectiveness of a vitamin/mineral supplement in controlling symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), we conducted a double-blind randomized study on 44 women with PMS. Subjects were carefully screened and excluded if underlying physical or psychopathological conditions were noted. Follicular and luteal testing with a menstrual symptom questionnaire, subdividing PMS into four subgroups, was completed for 1 month prior to treatment and for three menstrual cycles during treatment. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or six or 12 tablets of the supplement a day for three menstrual cycles. All subjects had significant differences in severity of symptoms between the follicular and luteal phase of the control cycle. Comparing pre- vs posttreatment luteal phase scores, significant placebo effects were noted for two PMS subgroups. Significant treatment effects were noted in three subgroups for the six-tablet group and in all four subgroups for the 12-tablet group. These results suggest that this nutritional supplement may play a role in the management of women with PMS.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Medicine, Wyman Park Medical Associates, Baltimore, Maryland 21211.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: London
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: N Y
authors.initials: NY
authors.lastname: Chiamori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008183:Luteal Phase; D008903:Minerals / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals; D014815:Vitamins