title: Evaluation of the effect of vitamin E on pelvic pain reduction in women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of vitamin E on the reduction of pelvic pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea and to compare its effect with placebo.
  
  
  METHODS
  A double-blind randomized clinical trial was performed on 120 women suffering from primary dysmenorrhea. They were randomly assigned into 2 groups, and 94 women finished the study. In the study group (n = 42) 400 IU/day of vitamin E was prescribed starting 2 days before the beginning of menstruation and continuing for a total of 5 days, for 2 consecutive cycles. In the control group (n = 52) a placebo was prescribed. Pain severity was evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale for 1 month before the study and during the 2 months of study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pain severity during the first month of the study was 5.41 +/- 2.4 in the study group and 5.76 +/- 2.08 in the control group and 4.73 +/- 1.89 and 5.35 +/- 2.05 in the study and control groups, respectively, during the second month of the study. Pain severity during the first and second months of treatment with vitamin E and placebo was lower than the pain severity before treatment. The mean reduction of pain in the study group (-2.7 +/- 2.1) was greater than that in the control group (-1.8 +/- 2.4) during the second month of the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both vitamin E and placebo may reduce the pelvic pain of dysmenorrhea, but vitamin E seems to cause a more significant reduction in pain. With regard to its safety, the study indicates it can be a simple and safe option for the treatment of dysmenorrhea.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Akbarabadi Teaching Hospital, Tehran, Iran. maryamkashanian@yahoo.com
authors: Maryam
authors: M
authors: Kashanian
authors: Maziar Moradi
authors: MM
authors: Lakeh
authors: Afsane
authors: A
authors: Ghasemi
authors: Shahla
authors: S
authors: Noori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004412:Dysmenorrhea / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E