---
title: Does mefenamic acid help PMS symptoms? | Niyora
description: Yes. A randomized double blind trial of 15 women found that mefenamic acid 500 mg three times daily reduced irritability, anxiety, abdominal swelling, and hea
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/mefenamic-acid-and-the-premenstrual-syndrome-1991/
---

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- Does mefenamic acid help PMS symptoms?

Non-randomised trial, 1991

# Does mefenamic acid help PMS symptoms?

Yes. A randomized double blind trial of 15 women found that mefenamic acid 500 mg three times daily reduced irritability, anxiety, abdominal swelling, and headaches compared with placebo.

 Moderate study design

15 women with premenstrual tension

## What they did

15 women with premenstrual tension received either mefenamic acid 500 mg or placebo three times daily from day 14 of one cycle until day 2 of the next cycle in a randomized double blind crossover design (each woman received both treatments in different cycles).

## What they found

Mefenamic acid relieved irritability, anxiety, abdominal swelling, and headaches compared with placebo (P < 0.05, statistically significant).

## What it means for you

Mefenamic acid, an anti-inflammatory pain reliever, appears to help several PMS symptoms. This was a small study, so results need confirmation in larger trials.

15

women studied

500 mg

mefenamic acid dose

3 times daily

dosing frequency

## About the study

Original title Mefenamic Acid and the Premenstrual Syndrome Authors MARGARET C. P. REES, J. Randle, Pat Yudkin Journal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Year 1991 Study design Non-randomised trial Participants 15 What was tested Mefenamic acid 500 mg three times daily, from day 14 of cycle to day 2 of next cycle Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/01443619109007785](https://doi.org/10.3109/01443619109007785)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Diuretics and other drugs](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diuretics-other-drugs/)

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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