Review, 1998

What treatments actually help with PMS?

This review says treatment depends on your symptoms, and that birth control pills, water pills (diuretics), antidepressants, talk therapy and nutritional supplements have helped some women, while high-dose vitamin B6, progesterone, alprazolam and GnRH agonist drugs are generally not recommended.

Early or limited evidence General review about women of reproductive age with PMS, not a specific patient group

What they did

This is a review article (not a new study on patients) that looks back over existing evidence and expert opinion on PMS treatment options, written for family doctors.

What they found

Up to 40 percent of women of reproductive age have premenstrual symptoms bad enough to affect daily life, and 5 percent of these women have severe impairment. No single cause has been found. Oral contraceptives, diuretics and antidepressants have helped relieve symptoms. Cognitive therapy may help coping. Nutritional supplementation may bring significant improvement. Progesterone, high-dose vitamin B6, alprazolam and GnRH agonists are generally not recommended. A healthy lifestyle plan may relieve symptoms in most women.

What it means for you

There is no single best treatment for PMS, so doctors tend to tailor a plan to each woman's symptoms, often starting with lifestyle changes. Because this is an older review summarising other work rather than new research, it does not give exact numbers on how well each treatment works, and medical guidance may have changed since 1998.

up to 40%

Women with impairing PMS symptoms

Of those, with severe impairment

About the study

Original title: Treatment strategies for premenstrual syndrome
Authors: Daugherty JE
Journal: American family physician
Year: 1998
Study design: Review
What was tested: Comparison of PMS treatments: pills, diuretics, antidepressants, therapy, supplements vs B6, progesterone, alprazolam, GnRH agonists
Read the paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9672437/

Topics

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)SSRIs and antidepressants Oral contraceptives and drospirenone GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression Estradiol, progesterone and hormone therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy Diet and nutrition Vitamin B6 Anxiolytics and other psychotropics Diuretics and other drugs

Systematic review, 2007

What treatments work for premenstrual syndrome?

Review, 1991

What treatments are available for late luteal phase dysphoric disorder?

Randomised trial, 2003

What treatments work for PMS and PMDD?

Study, 2002

Which PMS treatments have good scientific evidence?

Review, 2006

What treatments work for premenstrual disorders?

Randomised trial, 2010