Case report, 1998
Which hormonal treatments work best for premenstrual syndrome?
Estrogen is clearly effective. Progesterone does not work and might even worsen symptoms. Birth control pills help because they contain estrogen.
What they did
The authors described one case of successful hormonal treatment and reviewed studies on how hormonal treatments work for PMS.
What they found
Estrogen clearly relieves PMS symptoms. Progesterone is ineffective and might worsen symptoms. Combination oral contraceptives are effective because of their estrogen content. There is limited research comparing different birth control pills for PMS. Depression symptoms may not respond to hormonal treatment, and antidepressants might work better.
What it means for you
Estrogen appears most effective for hormone-based PMS treatment. The main limit is that this is a review of existing studies, not a new study, and research comparing different pills is still limited.
About the study
- Original title
- Hormonal therapy in the management of premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Tiemstra JD, Patel K
- Journal
- The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice
- Year
- 1998
- Study design
- Case report
- What was tested
- Hormonal treatments: estrogen, progesterone, and oral contraceptives.
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3122/15572625-11-5-378
Topics
Related studies
Systematic review, 2007
What treatments work for premenstrual syndrome?
Randomised trial, 2003
What treatments work for PMS and PMDD?
Case report, 2023
Can stopping ovulation help severe PMDD when other treatments do not work?
Study, 2022
Why do women get PMS and PMDD?
Review, 2012
What causes PMS and PMDD?
Review, 2012
How can doctors manage premenstrual-like symptoms caused by hormonal treatments containing progestogen?