--- title: Does taking calcium supplements reduce PMS symptoms? | Niyora description: Yes. In this large trial, women who took calcium carbonate had much lower PMS symptom scores than women who took a placebo, with symptoms down 48% versus 30% url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/calcium-carbonate-and-the-premenstrual-syndrome-effects-on-premenstrual-and-1998/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does taking calcium supplements reduce PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 1998 # Does taking calcium supplements reduce PMS symptoms? Yes. In this large trial, women who took calcium carbonate had much lower PMS symptom scores than women who took a placebo, with symptoms down 48% versus 30% by the third month. Strong study design 497 healthy women aged 18 to 45 across the US with moderate to severe, cyclical PMS symptoms ## What they did Researchers ran a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial across 12 US centers. 497 healthy women aged 18 to 45 with moderate to severe recurring PMS symptoms were enrolled (466 used in the final analysis). Women tracked symptoms daily for 2 cycles, then took either 1200 mg of elemental calcium (as calcium carbonate) or a placebo daily for 3 menstrual cycles. ## What they found At the start, both groups had similar symptom scores. By the second and third treatment cycles, the calcium group had significantly lower symptom scores in the luteal (premenstrual) phase (p=.007 and p<.001). By the third cycle, calcium reduced total symptom scores by 48% from baseline, compared to a 30% reduction with placebo. All four symptom groups measured (mood, bloating, food cravings, pain) improved significantly with calcium. ## What it means for you Calcium supplements may be a simple, effective way to ease PMS symptoms, especially after using it for a few months. The study was well designed and large, but it only looked at calcium carbonate at this specific dose and did not report on PMDD specifically. 497 Participants enrolled 48% Symptom score reduction with calcium by cycle 3 30% Symptom score reduction with placebo by cycle 3 ## About the study Original title Calcium carbonate and the premenstrual syndrome: effects on premenstrual and menstrual symptoms. Premenstrual Syndrome Study Group Authors Thys-Jacobs S, Starkey P, Bernstein D et al. Journal American journal of obstetrics and gynecology Year 1998 Study design Randomised trial Participants 497 What was tested 1200 mg of elemental calcium per day (as calcium carbonate) versus placebo, taken for 3 menstrual cycles Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(98)70377-1](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(98)70377-1) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Calcium](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-calcium/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Randomised trial, 1999 Does calcium reduce PMS symptoms? Study, 2017 How is severe PMS (PMDD) diagnosed and what treatments do doctors recommend first? Cohort study, 2010 How do anxiety disorders differ across different life stages? Systematic review, 2024 What are the best treatments for PMDD and PMS? Systematic review, 2023 What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy? Systematic review, 2023 How common are menstrual cycle problems and PMS or PMDD in female athletes? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗