Randomised trial, 1985
Does vitamin B-6 help premenstrual tension?
No. Vitamin B-6 at 100 mg daily was no better than placebo for relieving premenstrual tension.
What they did
A randomized double-blind crossover trial where 34 women with premenstrual tension received either vitamin B-6 (100 mg daily) or placebo. The researchers also measured blood magnesium in these women and in 10 healthy women without premenstrual tension.
What they found
Vitamin B-6 was no better than placebo at relieving premenstrual tension. Women preferred whichever pill they received second, regardless of what it was. Blood magnesium levels were not significantly different between women with premenstrual tension and healthy women. Vitamin B-6 did cause a small but statistically significant rise in blood magnesium level, but this change did not correlate with symptom improvement in individual women.
What it means for you
Vitamin B-6 doesn't appear to help premenstrual tension. The study was small (34 women) and from 1985. Women preferred whichever treatment they received second, suggesting expectation effects may have influenced results.
100 mg
Daily dose of vitamin B-6
34
Women with premenstrual tension
10
Healthy women without premenstrual tension
About the study
- Original title
- No effect of vitamin B-6 against premenstrual tension. A controlled clinical study
- Authors
- Hagen I, Nesheim BI, Tuntland T
- Journal
- Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica
- Year
- 1985
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 34
- What was tested
- Vitamin B-6 100 mg daily throughout the menstrual cycle
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3109/00016348509158211
Topics
Related studies
Review, 2023
Can herbs and supplements help with PMS symptoms?
Randomised trial, 2000
Does magnesium and vitamin B6 together help with anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms?
Survey study, 2026
Can changing your diet help with period and PMS symptoms like fatigue, mood swings and bloating?
Study, 1983
Does nutrition affect premenstrual symptoms?
Systematic review, 2025
Do nutritional interventions help with emotional symptoms of PMS?
Systematic review, 2013
Does Vitex (chaste tree) help PMS and PMDD symptoms?