---
title: Does St John's wort help women with mild PMS? | Niyora
description: St John's wort at 900 mg daily was more effective than placebo for physical and behavioral PMS symptoms, but the study was small.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-efficacy-of-hypericum-perforatum-st-john-s-wort-for-the-treatment-of-2010/
---

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- Does St John's wort help women with mild PMS?

Randomised trial, 2010

# Does St John's wort help women with mild PMS?

St John's wort at 900 mg daily was more effective than placebo for physical and behavioral PMS symptoms, but the study was small.

 Moderate study design

36 women aged 18-45 with mild PMS and regular menstrual cycles

## What they did

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of 36 women aged 18-45 with mild PMS. Women had a 2-cycle placebo run-in, then took either 900 mg daily St John's wort or placebo for 2 cycles, had a washout cycle, then switched treatments for 2 more cycles. Daily symptoms and hormone levels were measured.

## What they found

St John's wort was statistically superior to placebo in improving physical and behavioral symptoms. Hormone levels and cytokine levels did not differ between St John's wort and placebo treatment.

## What it means for you

St John's wort may help mild PMS symptoms. However, the study was very small with only 36 women, and it did not explain how the herb works since hormone levels were unchanged.

36

women in study

900 mg/day

daily dose

2

cycles per treatment

## About the study

Original title The efficacy of Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) for the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial Authors Canning S, Waterman M, Orsi N et al. Journal CNS drugs Year 2010 Study design Randomised trial Participants 36 What was tested St John's wort 900 mg daily standardized to 0.18% hypericin and 3.38% hyperforin Read the paper [doi.org/10.2165/11530120-000000000-00000](https://doi.org/10.2165/11530120-000000000-00000)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/)

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.

## Related studies

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Randomised trial, 2017

Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)?

Cohort study, 2012

How quickly does fluoxetine start working for PMDD symptoms?

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