Randomised trial, 2026
Does calcium and vitamin D supplementation reduce PMS symptoms?
Yes. Women taking 1,000 mg calcium daily plus 50,000 IU vitamin D every two weeks for 12 weeks showed significantly greater improvements in anger, anxiety, food cravings, physical symptoms, and work efficiency compared to placebo.
What they did
Randomly assigned 100 female university students aged 18 to 40 with moderate to severe PMS to either calcium (1,000 mg daily) plus vitamin D (50,000 IU every two weeks) or placebo for 12 weeks. Symptoms were measured using the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool Adolescent.
What they found
Compared to placebo, the calcium and vitamin D group had significant improvements in anger or irritability (P=0.04), anxiety or tension (P=0.03), reduced interest in work (P=0.001), overeating or food cravings (P<0.001), physical symptoms (P=0.04), and work efficiency (P=0.01).
What it means for you
Calcium and vitamin D supplements may help emotional and physical PMS symptoms and improve work function. However, this study was done in university students in one hospital in Pakistan, so results may differ in other populations or age groups.
100
women studied
1000 mg
calcium daily
12
weeks of supplementation
About the study
- Original title
- Effectiveness of Non-Hormonal Treatment on Moderate to Severe Premenstrual Syndrome: A Double Blind Randomized Control Trial
- Authors
- Haleema Sadia, Nadia Zahid, Gulfreen Waheed et al.
- Journal
- Journal of Bahria University Medical and Dental College
- Year
- 2026
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 100
- What was tested
- Calcium (1,000 mg daily) plus vitamin D (50,000 IU every 2 weeks) versus placebo for 12 weeks
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.51985/jbumdc2025721
Topics
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