Study, 1980
Does dydrogesterone (Duphaston) help premenstrual syndrome symptoms?
Dydrogesterone helped relieve depression, headache, swelling, and irregular bleeding in women with PMS, but did not help with breast tenderness. Most women wanted to continue taking it.
What they did
Women took dydrogesterone 20 mg twice daily during the second half of their menstrual cycle. Doctors tracked their symptoms and checked basal body temperature and hormone levels to make sure the menstrual cycle stayed normal.
What they found
Dydrogesterone relieved depression, headache, swelling (edema), period pain (dysmenorrhea), and irregular bleeding. Breast tenderness was not improved by the treatment. Blood pressure and body weight did not change significantly. The menstrual cycle remained normal and ovulatory during treatment. Most women wished to continue the treatment beyond the study period.
What it means for you
Dydrogesterone may help several PMS symptoms, especially mood and physical complaints. However, the study does not specify how many women were studied or give exact rates of improvement. The findings need to be confirmed in larger studies with a control group for comparison.
20 mg
dydrogesterone dose
twice daily
dosing frequency
second half
timing of doses
About the study
- Original title
- [Treatment of the premenstrual syndrome with a retroprogesterone (Duphaston)]
- Authors
- Strecker JR
- Journal
- Fortschritte der Medizin
- Year
- 1980
- Study design
- Study
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7189174/
Topics
Related studies
Randomised trial, 2008
Does drospirenone with ethinyl estradiol birth control help PMDD?
Randomised trial, 2003
What treatments work for PMS and PMDD?
Randomised trial, 2020
Does progesterone therapy help premenstrual syndrome in women with PCOS?
Systematic review, 2017
Do estrogen patches or gels help control PMS symptoms?
Study, 2015
Does treating the uterus with injections and freezing help severe PMS and PMDD?
Randomised trial, 2013
Does progesterone reduce PMS symptoms in women with polycystic ovary syndrome?