Randomised trial, 1998
Does tibolone improve PMS symptoms?
Yes. Tibolone 2.5 mg/day significantly improved all PMS symptom categories by the third month (P < 0.05).
What they did
A randomized placebo-controlled double-blind crossover study with 18 women with PMS. Nine received 2.5 mg/day tibolone for 3 months and nine received placebo, then the groups switched to the opposite treatment for another 3 months. Symptom ratings and blood beta-endorphin levels were measured.
What they found
Improvements in symptoms and beta-endorphin appeared during months 2-3 of tibolone. At 3 months, tibolone showed significant improvement in all symptom categories compared with baseline and placebo (P < 0.05). Beta-endorphin on day 25 was significantly higher during tibolone (22.5 +/- 4.4 pg/ml) versus baseline (15.9 +/- 3.6 pg/ml) and placebo (17.2 +/- 2.3 pg/ml, P < 0.05).
What it means for you
This synthetic steroid can improve PMS symptoms, possibly by raising beta-endorphin, a hormone in the body. The study is very small (only 9 women per group), so larger trials are needed to confirm.
18
women with PMS
2.5 mg/day
tibolone dose
P < 0.05
statistical significance
About the study
- Original title
- Placebo-controlled cross-over study of effects of tibolone on premenstrual symptoms and peripheral beta-endorphin concentrations in premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Taskin O, Gökdeniz R, Yalcinoglu A et al.
- Journal
- Human reproduction (Oxford, England)
- Year
- 1998
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 9
- What was tested
- 2.5 mg/day tibolone versus placebo for 3 months each (crossover design)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1093/humrep/13.9.2402
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