---
title: Which dietary supplements and herbs work for PMS? | Niyora
description: 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
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/dietary-supplements-and-herbal-remedies-for-premenstrual-syndrome-pms-a-2006/
---

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- Which dietary supplements and herbs work for PMS?

Randomised trial, 2006

# 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.

 Moderate study design

Women with PMS (from multiple randomized controlled trials reviewed)

## What they did

Systematic review of published randomized controlled trials of dietary supplements and herbal remedies used for PMS. The researchers reviewed studies on calcium, magnesium, vitamin B6, evening primrose oil, Vitex agnus castus, ginkgo biloba, and St. John's Wort.

## What they found

Substantial evidence supports calcium and vitamin B6 for PMS. Magnesium and evening primrose oil produced conflicting results across trials. Insufficient data exist for ginkgo biloba, Vitex, and St. John's Wort, though preliminary data seem supportive.

## What it means for you

If you are considering supplements for PMS, calcium and B6 have the strongest evidence. Other supplements need larger and better-designed studies. The main limitation is that most research is preliminary or has methodological issues.

## About the study

Original title Dietary supplements and herbal remedies for premenstrual syndrome (PMS): a systematic research review of the evidence for their efficacy Authors Sarah Elise Canning, Mitch G. Waterman, Louise Dye Journal Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology Year 2006 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Various dietary supplements and herbal remedies (reviewed from published studies) Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/02646830600974170](https://doi.org/10.1080/02646830600974170)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Calcium](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-calcium/)[Magnesium](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-magnesium/)[Vitamin B6](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitamin-b6/)[Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitex/)[Evening primrose oil](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-evening-primrose/)[Ginkgo biloba](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ginkgo/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/)

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.

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