---
title: Do essential fatty acids help premenstrual syndrome? | Niyora
description: No. Essential fatty acids did not reduce PMS symptoms compared to placebo. Some improvement was seen over time but was likely due to placebo effect or the act
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/essential-fatty-acids-in-the-treatment-of-premenstrual-syndrome-1993/
---

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- Do essential fatty acids help premenstrual syndrome?

Randomised trial, 1993

# Do essential fatty acids help premenstrual syndrome?

No. Essential fatty acids did not reduce PMS symptoms compared to placebo. Some improvement was seen over time but was likely due to placebo effect or the act of being in a study.

 Moderate study design

27 women with PMS and 22 symptom-free controls

## What they did

27 women with PMS and 22 symptom-free controls participated in a randomized double-blind crossover trial over 10 menstrual cycles. After a diagnostic cycle and one placebo cycle, PMS women received 4 cycles of essential fatty acids alternating with 4 cycles of placebo.

## What they found

Essential fatty acids did not reduce premenstrual symptoms or symptom cyclicity. Time had a significant effect on some symptoms, suggesting either a placebo effect or an effect from study participation. Women with PMS had higher frequency of dysmenorrhea and familial PMS than symptom-free controls.

## What it means for you

Essential fatty acids are ineffective for treating PMS. This study demonstrates the importance of placebo effects and other benefits from participating in research. The study was well-designed but had a modest sample size.

27

women with PMS

22

symptom-free controls

10

menstrual cycles studied

## About the study

Original title Essential fatty acids in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome Authors Collins A, Cerin A, Coleman G et al. Journal Obstetrics and gynecology Year 1993 Study design Randomised trial Participants 27 What was tested Essential fatty acids versus placebo Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8416468/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8416468/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Evening primrose oil](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-evening-primrose/)

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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