title: Effect of zinc sulfate supplementation on premenstrual syndrome and health-related quality of life: Clinical randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of study was to assess the effect of zinc sulfate (ZS) supplementation on premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and health-related quality of life (QoL).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a double-blind randomized and placebo-controlled trial using the parallel technique conducted between June 2013 and May 2014. A total of 142 women (age, 20-35 years) with PMS were allocated to either the ZS or placebo group. The women in the intervention group received ZS 220-mg capsules (containing 50 mg elemental zinc) from the 16th day of the menstrual cycle to the second day of the next cycle. Data were collected using the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) and 12-item Short-Form Health Survey Questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of moderate to severe PMS in the ZS group significantly decreased throughout the study period (9.5% in the first, 6% in the second and 2.6% in the third month of the study, P < 0.001), but in the control placebo group this reduction was seen only in the first month of the study (14.2% in the first, 13.7% in the second and 13.5% in the third month, P = 0.08). Also, ZS improved the PSST component scores throughout the study period. The mean scores of QoL in physical and mental components were significantly improved in the ZS intervention group. However, the differences were statistically significant only 3 months after the intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Zinc sulfate, as a simple and inexpensive treatment, was associated with improvement of PMS symptoms and health-related QoL. Additional studies are warranted to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.|Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shiva
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siahbazi
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Endocrinology Research Center, Research Institute for Endocrine Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Behboudi-Gandevani
authors.affiliation: Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Lida
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moghaddam-Banaem
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Research Group, Health Metrics Research Center, Iranian Institute for Health Sciences Research, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montazeri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001252:Astringents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D055815:Young Adult; D019287:Zinc Sulfate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001252:Astringents; D019287:Zinc Sulfate
keywords: premenstrual syndrome; quality of life; zinc sulfate supplementation