Randomised trial, 2025
Do bergamot and grapefruit essential oils reduce PMS and menstrual symptoms?
Grapefruit essential oil significantly reduced both PMS and menstrual symptoms over three cycles, while bergamot only reduced PMS symptoms.
What they did
Randomized controlled trial with 90 women with PMS divided into three equal groups. Each group smelled either grapefruit oil, bergamot oil, or placebo (inert oil) for 30 minutes, three times a day, for 4 days during the luteal phase of their cycle. This was repeated over 3 menstrual cycles.
What they found
Grapefruit essential oil significantly reduced the total PMS score and multiple symptoms including depressive affect, anxiety, fatigue, depressive thoughts, appetite changes, sleep changes, and bloating. Bergamot reduced some PMS symptoms but did not reduce menstrual symptoms. Placebo showed no significant effects.
What it means for you
Grapefruit essential oil may help with both PMS and menstrual symptoms. The main limitation is that women only used the oils for 4 days per cycle, so it is unclear whether longer use would help more.
90
women in study
30
women per group
4
days per cycle of treatment
About the study
- Original title
- The effect of aromatherapy intervention with Bergamot and Grapefruit essential oils on premenstrual syndrome and menstrual symptoms: a randomized controlled trial
- Authors
- Özer E, Döner Şİ, Dağ Tüzmen H
- Journal
- BMC complementary medicine and therapies
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 30
- What was tested
- Grapefruit, bergamot, or placebo essential oil inhalation for 30 minutes three times daily for 4 days per cycle, repeated for 3 cycles
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1186/s12906-025-04857-3
Topics
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