Severity Of Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms Research Articles

Low doses of fluoxetine for the treatment of emotional premenstrual syndrome: a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study

IntroductionThe neuroactive metabolite of progesterone, allopregnanolone (ALLO), has been implicated in premenstrual syndrome (PMS) physiopathology and preclinical studies suggested that low doses of fluoxetine increase the ALLO brain concentration. ObjectivesTo assess which low dose of fluoxetine (2 mg/d, 5 mg/d or 10 mg/d), administered exclusively during the luteal phase of menstrual cycle, has a potential effect for preventing or mitigating emotional PMS symptoms. MethodsIn this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study, we followed 40 women (mean age = 29.7 +/- 7.4 years) with emotional PMS, during two menstrual cycles: cycle 1, without pharmacological intervention; and cycle 2, with pharmacological intervention. Participants took capsules, on average, seven days preceding the likely date of menses. We assessed the severity of PMS symptoms in both cycles using the Daily Record of Severity of Problems scale (DRSP). ResultsThere was an increase in the DRSP scores during the late luteal phase of cycle 1, confirming the diagnosis of emotional PMS. Low doses of fluoxetine (5 mg/d: 33.5%; 10 mg/d: 48.4%) reduced DRSP total score in the day before menses (day-1) at cycle 2 compared with day-1 at cycle 1. Fluoxetine 10 mg/d had the most consistent decline in emotional PMS symptoms; 70% of the participants reported a reduction greater than 40% in the DRSP score. ConclusionsLow doses of fluoxetine, which may have no or few effect on the serotonergic system, but may interfere in the progesterone metabolization, seem to have some potential to mitigate emotional PMS symptoms. While the 10 mg/d of fluoxetine had the best performance on reducing emotional PMS symptoms, the 5 mg/d dose also seems to have some effect on emotional PMS symptoms. Further larger studies will help establish the lowest effective dose of flouxetine for PMS treatment.

Investigation of premenstrual syndrome in connection with physical activity, perceived stress level, and mental status-a cross-sectional study.

The premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a critical factor in women's health, which, in addition to physical inactivity, can be influenced by the body mass index (BMI), stress, and mental state, among others. The study aimed to assess the severity of PMS symptoms among young women regarding physical inactivity, BMI, mental state, and perceived stress level. A total of 198 female participants between the ages of 18-45 took part in a 6-month cross-sectional online questionnaire study. The average age of the participants was 25.37 ± 4.80 years. To assess physical activity, stress, mental state, and premenstrual symptoms, we employed standard questionnaires, including the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12), and the Premenstrual Assessment Form-Short Form (PAF-SF). The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 28.0 software, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. During the analysis, we observed a significant relationship (p = 0.020) between regular exercise and the severity of PMS symptoms, as well as between mental state and PMS symptoms (p < 0.001). Furthermore, our findings revealed a significant negative correlation between regular physical activity and perceived stress levels (r = -0.179; p = 0.012), as well as between regular exercise and the participants' mental state (r = -0.157; p = 0.027). Additionally, we identified a significant difference (p < 0.001) among the six subgroups formed based on the PAF-SF and average PSS questionnaire results. Moreover, a significant difference was observed between the PAF-SF case and control groups in terms of BMI averages (p = 0.019). The research findings indicate that the severity of PMS symptoms is influenced by regular physical activity, mental state, and stress.

Efficacy and Tolerability Evaluation of a Nutraceutical Composition Containing Vitex agnus-castus Extract (EVX40™), Pyridoxine, and Magnesium in Premenstrual Syndrome: A Real-World, Interventional, Comparative Study.

Background Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) is a condition associated with altered hormone levels during the menstrual phase of females and is characterised by physical, emotional, and behavioural symptoms that have a negative impact on the quality of life of females. The symptoms of PMS may vary between individuals, but the major complication is pain, especially during menstrual days. The current treatment strategy involves the use of hormonal therapies and analgesics for symptomatic relief, but these therapies have a risk of potential side effects. The use of herbal and nutraceutical supplements in PMS conditions is increasing due to their long-term safety and proven efficacy. The current real-world study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of Ezedayz® tablets containing Vitex agnus-castus extract (EVX40™), vitamin B6, and magnesium in PMS subjects. Methodology A real-world, open-label study was conducted involving 64 participants with varied severity of PMS symptoms. Participants were categorised into Group A (N=23) receiving standard therapies, Group B (N=20) receiving Ezedayz®tablets, or Group C (N=21) receiving standard and Ezedayz®therapy. Standard therapies were provided as per physician supervision, and Ezedayz® tablets were given for 90 days. All subjects were evaluated on core symptoms of PMS like menstrual backache, menstrual cramps, joint or muscle pain, and headache using the numerical rating scale (NRS), and quality-of-life (QoL) was evaluated using a QoL questionnaire. A spontaneous reporting methodology was used to evaluate the tolerability of the therapies provided. Statistical analysis was performed as per the statistical plan. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Out of 64 participants, five were lost to follow-up, and the data of 59 participants were included in the final analysis. All groups showed improvement in all evaluated parameters, but Group B and Group C showed greater improvement at the end of the study in all evaluated parameters. The quality-of-life assessment revealed greater improvement in Group B and Group C participants compared to Group C in all evaluated QoL parameters. No serious side effects were observed in any subjects. Conclusion The results of the current study conclude that the nutraceutical composition of Vitex agnus-castus extract, vitamin B6, and magnesium is effective in reducing the severity of PMS symptoms and improving the quality of life of PMS subjects. The nutraceutical therapy provided greater relief from PMS symptoms compared to standard therapy alone, and this effect was augmented when the nutraceutical therapy was provided in combination with standard therapies. Similarly, the improvement in quality-of-life parameters was greater in subjects treated with nutraceuticals alone or in combination therapy. Despite the limitations of the study, the results of the current study are promising, and the nutraceutical composition (Ezedayz®) can be effectively used in clinical settings to control symptoms and improve the quality of life of PMS patients.

The Relationship between High Fiber Diet and Severity of Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms in Medical Students of Pelita Harapan University

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Introduction: &lt;/strong&gt;47.8% of women worldwide experience symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and 20% of women experience symptoms that are severe enough to interfere with daily activities. This occurs during the last 14 days of the menstrual cycle or luteal phase, and it is caused by hormonal fluctuations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Aim: &lt;/strong&gt;This study is going to be conducted to determine the relationship between high fiber diet and the severity of premenstrual syndrome in adolescents.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Method: &lt;/strong&gt;This study used a comparative analytic categorical study with two unpaired categories with a cross-sectional study design. The research sample is female students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Pelita Harapan who met the inclusion criteria of at least 74 samples by judgmental sampling. Data were collected using a questionnaire in the form of a Premenstrual Symptom Scale, Esitimated Food Record and Perceived Stress Scale with the the chi-square method, and data analysis using SPSS 24.0.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;There were 85 samples that matched the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this study. The majority of the sample came from the 2018 class (64.7%), 20 years old (61.2%), experiencing moderate stress (61.2%), and have normal body mass index (72.9%). Researcher found a p value of 0.309 (p&amp;gt; 0.05), which means that there is no significant relationship between a high-fiber diet and the severity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms.

Предменструальный синдром как проявление десинхроноза в студенческой среде

Objective. To study the prevalence and severity of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in female students from Khabarovsk higher education institutions and to evaluate the efficacy of using hormonal contraceptives to increase the psychological adaptation among students. Patients and methods. A voluntary online random survey including 565 female students from Khabarovsk higher education institutions was conducted between October and December 2021. The diagnosis was verified by using diary entries about the nature of existing complaints during 2–3 menstrual cycles with assessing the severity of symptoms on a three-point scale. Results. The results showed that the severity of PMS symptoms was distributed as follows: mild degree – 70.81%, moderate degree – 23.08%, severe degree – 6.11 ± 1.14%. The evaluation of the results of using drospirenone-containing contraceptive for 6 months demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the frequency of PMS symptoms (p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion. PMS in female students from higher education institutions remains an important problem which has a negative impact both on general health and on the process of social adaptation in studies (54.98%) and behavior in the surrounding society (61.31%). The use of drospirenone-containing contraceptive for 6 months significantly reduced the emotional load by improving sleep, reducing irritability, aggressiveness, etc. (р &lt; 0,001). Key words: premenstrual syndrome, students, drospirenone-containing oral contraceptive

Stress and rumination in Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): Identifying stable and menstrual cycle-related differences in PMS symptom severity

Since the inclusion of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) as a mood disorder in the DSM-5, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) symptoms have received more attention from researchers and clinicians. In this large-scale study, we investigated core psychological concepts relevant to mood disorder vulnerability between people with 1) no to mild, 2) moderate to severe, and 3) PMDD levels of PMS symptoms. Several trait measures related to mood disorders including depressive symptoms, feelings of stress and anxiety, and ruminative thinking were measured (single measurement, N = 380) along with state (momentary) reports of stress and stress-related perseverative thinking (measured twice, once in the follicular and once in the premenstrual/luteal phase, N = 237). We consistently observed that participants with higher severity of PMS symptoms also scored higher on depression, anxiety, stress, and rumination (trait measures). We also found consistent increases in momentary stress and stress-related perseverative ruminative thinking with increased PMS symptoms at each of our two test moments (in the middle of the follicular and premenstrual/luteal phase respectively). Interestingly, we did not find significant differences between our two test moments for any group, despite PMS being characterized by specific systems in the premenstrual/luteal phase. However, this could be due to noise surrounding the testing moments due to the temporal resolution of the questionnaires and the menstrual cycle estimation method. Nevertheless, these results suggest that stress and rumination are important psychological mechanisms to consider in PMS. Future PMS research studying stress and rumination on a day-to-day basis in combination with hormonal measures is warranted.

Licit Substance Use and Premenstrual Syndrome Symptom Severity in Female College Students.

Introduction:Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects the majority of women and is characterized by physical, behavioral, and mood symptoms, which can have a profound impact on quality of life. PMS symptoms have also been linked to licit substance use. This study examined the relationships between daily/problem use (DPU) of caffeine (Caf+), alcohol (Alc+), and tobacco (Cig+) and PMS symptomology in a sample of college women.Methods:Participants (N = 196) completed an anonymous one-time health survey. Demographic, PMS symptomatology, and DPU of licit substance variables were examined. Independent t-tests compared PMS symptom scores in women with and without Caf+, Cig+, and Alc+ use. One-way analysis of variances examined the associations between PMS symptom severity and number of DPU-positive substances.Results:PMS subscale severity (pain [F(2,190) = 4.47, p = 0.013], affective [F(2,192) = 8.21, p < 0.001], and water retention [F(2,191) = 13.37, p < 0.001]) and total PMS symptom severity [F(2,189) = 10.22, p < 0.001] showed a dose response effect, with the number of licit substances with DPU significantly associated with PMS symptom severity.Conclusions:This study findings provide important new information about the relationship between PMS symptoms and at-risk substance use. These are cross-sectional data, however, and affirm a need for longitudinal research to better understand the associations, with a focus on potential benefits of education and intervention.

The effect of a social network-based cognitive behavioral therapy intervention on the severity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms: a protocol of a randomized clinical trial study

BackgroundPremenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the most widespread menstrual disorders in women of reproductive age. This recurrent syndrome is a combination of physically, mentally, or behaviorally disturbing changes occurring during the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of a cognitive-behavioral therapy-based educational intervention using social networks on PMS in female health center employees in Rudbar, Iran.Methods/designA randomized superiority controlled trial will be conducted involving 140 female employees of health centers affiliated with the Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rudbar. The study involves a block size of 4 and 6 in a randomly varied order, 140 women who meet all the inclusion criteria will be randomly and equally divided into 2 groups: the intervention and the control groups. Those in the former group will receive a cognitive-behavioral therapy-based treatment for eight consecutive weeks on the social network platform WhatsApp; however, those in the control group will not be offered any treatment except usual care practices (unprotocolized usual care). The study’s primary outcome is the severity of PMS symptoms, and the secondary outcomes include general self-efficacy, work-related quality of life, the impact of PMS on daily life, coping with the symptoms, and experiencing anxiety and depression at the beginning of the study to identify people with PMS. A daily record of the symptoms will be completed for two consecutive months by all female employees aged 20–45 years who wish to participate in the study. According to the initial screening, those with moderate to severe PMS will be included. We will use the MLwin software for the analyses. All questionnaires will be completed by both groups immediately and 8 weeks after the termination of the treatment. The data will be analyzed using linear mixed-effects modeling with random intercepts and slopes.DiscussionIt is anticipated that the findings of the present study may demonstrate the effectiveness of the cognitive behavioral therapy intervention on the severity of PMS symptoms that could guide healthcare providers in opting for suitable treatment alternatives for the syndrome.Ethics and disseminationThe research proposal is approved by the Human Ethics Committee of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences (IR.QUMS.REC.1399.252). The results of this intervention trial will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed research journal.Trial registrationIranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT20180218038789N4. Registered prospectively on October 28, 2020

Impact of Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms on Sport Routines in Nonelite Athlete Participants of Summer Olympic Sports.

Most women during their lifetime experience a combination of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms (eg,menstrual cramps) before and often to the end of menstruation. However, the impact of these symptoms on sport routines (eg,performance, training absence) during phases around menstruation is still unclear. Therefore, we investigated the impact of PMS symptoms on sport routines among nonelite athletes over 3 phases related to menstruation. An online questionnaire was developed to recruit nonelite female athletes who participate in summer Olympic sports. Participants were allocated into 2 groups: those who experienced mild to moderate PMS symptoms (no-PMS) and those with severe PMS symptoms (p-PMS). Two hundred thirty-four responses from eumenorrheic women (p-PMS = 78%) were considered valid. An unpaired Student t test was conducted to compare demographic characteristics between groups and chi-square test to evaluate the impact of PMS status on sport routines between groups. A significant (P < .05) proportion of women in the p-PMS group changed their training schedule because of menstrual (55%) and premenstrual (61%) symptoms compared with the no-PMS group. Overall, all participants indicated that training (P = .01) and competitive (P < .01) performance are impacted during menstruation, followed by a greater impact (P < .05) in the p-PMS group before menstruation. The presence of PMS symptoms reduces training and competitive performance, primarily during and before menstruation, respectively. Severity of PMS symptoms was significantly associated with alterations in training schedule but not with competitive schedule.

Serum antioxidant vitamin concentrations and oxidative stress markers associated with symptoms and severity of premenstrual syndrome: a prospective cohort study

BackgroundIt has been suggested that premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may derive from either elevated oxidative stress or reduced antioxidant vitamin levels in the body; however, these relationships have been minimally studied in a large cohort of healthy women. Our objective was to estimate the association between serum concentrations of antioxidant vitamins (A, C, and E) and markers of oxidative stress (F2-isoprostane) with symptoms and severity of PMS.MethodsThe BioCycle study was a prospective cohort study following 259 healthy premenopausal women aged 18–44 years for up to 2 menstrual cycles. Frequency/severity of 20 PMS symptoms were assessed via questionnaires 4 times/cycle, and antioxidant vitamins and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured up to 8 times/cycle to correspond with specific cycle phases. Generalized linear models were used to estimate associations between mean antioxidant concentrations and oxidative stress biomarkers with PMS symptoms and severity; linear mixed models were used to evaluate associations with symptom severity scores within groups (e.g. depression, cravings, pain).ResultsHigher concentrations of serum antioxidant vitamins were largely not associated with prevalence or severity of PMS symptoms. Though a few associations were observed, only associations between mean γ-tocopherol and decreased odds of swelling of the hands/feet survived adjustment for multiple comparisons (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.16, 0.65, per ug/dL). However, F2-isoprostanes were associated with prevalence and severity of several symptoms specifically related to depression and cravings (depression score β = 0.07, 95% CI 0.02, 0.12, per 10 ug/dL; cravings score β = 0.16, 95% CI 0.10, 0.22, per 10 ug/dL), as well as with classification of PMS severity (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01, 1.14, per 10 pg/dL), with these associations surviving adjustment for false discovery rate.ConclusionsF2-isoprostanes, but not antioxidant vitamins, were associated with select PMS symptoms, as well as symptom and severity categories. Specific symptom relationships merit further research.

Association of Diet, Quality of Life and Premenstrual Syndrome; A Review

Premenstrual syndrome is a disorder experienced by the females of reproductive ages. The etiology of this common condition is unknown. The presentation of symptoms is highly variable all over the world. The variability in the presentation of symptoms could be linked to social and cultural effects of environment. There can be psychological, physical or behavioral characteristic manifestations linked to premenstrual syndrome. The presentation of premenstrual syndrome can effect a female’s life. Household chores, work place tasks and interpersonal relationships are effected gravely. Dietary intake of the individuals is associated with the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Intake of diet loaded with whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables, micronutrients like vitamin B1, D and E have shown to have protective effects against the development and severity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Intake of harmful food items like refined sugar, fast food, sweetened drinks, alcohol and chocolates are associated with increase in severity of the condition.

Effect of Walking on Physiological Stress in Premenstrual Syndrome:A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purpose: to investigate the effect of walking on physiological stress in premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Methods: Thirty females with PMS were randomly distributed into two equal groups. Group (A) (n=15) received breathing exercises, while group (B) (n=15) received the same breathing exercises in addition to walking on a treadmill. The primary outcomes were serum cortisol levels, resting heart rate (HR) and resting respiratory rate (RR) to measure the level of physiological stress, while the secondary outcomes were daily record of severity of problems (DRSP) and abdominal pain assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS). The outcome measures were evaluated pre-treatment and after 8 weeks of treatment. Results: Comparing both groups post-treatment revealed non-significant differences in serum cortisol levels, resting HR and DRSP (P>0.05), while there were significant reductions in both resting RR and abdominal pain VAS (P<0.05) in favour of group (B). The percentages of improvement post-treatment in serum cortisol levels, resting HR, resting RR, DRSP and abdominal pain VAS were 16.05%, 2.92%, 5.19%, 29.73% and 25.84%, respectively in group (A), while they were 25.09%, 7.05%, 15.69%, 31.43% and 55.30%, respectively in group (B). Conclusion: Walking is effective in treating premenstrual syndrome through reducing resting RR and abdominal pain intensity, as well as producing greater improvement in serum cortisol levels, resting HR and severity of PMS symptoms. Key words: Premenstrual syndrome, walking, breathing exercises, physiological stress.

Assessment of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Symptoms among Female Students in Baghdad City

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects women to extent that their quality of life, interpersonal relationships and work performance can be impaired the current study aims to assess the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome among female students and to determine the severity of premenstrual syndrome symptoms. Adescriptive study was conducted on female students in Baghdad city from august 2nd 2017 to May 30th A simple random selection of (300) female students was selected to participated in this study; (100) students from Institute of Medical Technology/Baghdad, (100) students from College of Health and Medical Technology and (100) students from Institute of Medical Technology/Al-Mansour. A self-administrative questionnaire was conducted to achieve the study objectives. The participants aged between (18-25) years with mean of age 20.19 years. Most of female students used sleep and rest to relieve the symptoms of PMS. The highest percentage (35.3%) of female students had a mild level of psychological symptoms of PMS. The highest percentage (34.3%) of female students had a moderate level of physical symptoms of PMS. The study concluded that all participants had at least one symptom of premenstrual syndrome and they affected by the physical symptoms more than the psychological symptoms.

Effect of Peppermint Oil on Premenstrual Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Study

Background: Despite the mental, physical, and behavioral problems of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in reproductive women, there is no general agreement on effective treatment. Objectives: To determine the safety and effectiveness of herbal medicine capsules of peppermint oil as a novel formulation used for the severity management of PMS symptoms. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was carried out on 50 high school students who were diagnosed with PMS in Babol, Iran. The subjects were divided into two groups based on blocked randomization to receive capsules of Colpermin® containing the peppermint oil (187 mg peppermint oil/0.2 mL), or placebo twice daily for 10 days, from the 15th day of one period to the first day of the next period for two cycles. The degree of PMS was assessed using Delany’s PMS checklist with 28 items as primary, at the first luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and at the third luteal phase. Results: The PMS score was decreased for the two menstrual cycles, from 30.3 ± 10.1 to 15.5 ± 6.0 in peppermint oil group and from 23.2 ± 7.0 to 20.7 ± 8.0 in the placebo group. The mean difference of the total PMS score between the two groups was -9.77; 95% CI: -12.52 to -7.02 (P < 0.0001). The number of participants needing treatment (NNT) for the peppermint oil group was approximately two compared with that of the placebo group. Conclusions: The proposed novel peppermint oil formulation was proved to be safe and may be used as an effective treatment for reducing the severity of PMS symptoms.

Regular Physical Activity, High Soy Dietary Intake and Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Symptoms in Young Adult Women: A Descriptive Study

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in adolescents group is one of the most common disorder in woman at reproductive age. It substantially reduces quality of life for many women of reproductive age, with pharmaceutical treatments having limited efficacy and substantial side effects. A health lifestyle e.g. regular physical activity and high soy dietary intakes has been recommended as a method of reducing PMS symptoms. This study aims to describe the physical activity and high soy dietary intake and PMS symptoms in female students of Vocational High School 10 Surabaya. This study was designed to describe the activity level were recalled in 7x24 hour, soy dietary intake, and severity of PMS symptoms in female students that was administrated by structured questionnaires. The result showed that of all participants (n=59) were defined as having light physical activity level (88.1%), moderate level of soy dietary intake (17.22-28.38 portions per month), and mild degree of PMS symptoms (71.2%). Based on crosstabulation showed that respondences who had light physical activity experienced moderate PMS degree (8.6%), and who had high soy dietary intake experienced moderate PMS degree (8.5%). This recommendation is based on relatively little evidence, and the relationship between physical activity, soy dietary intake, and premenstrual syndrome symptoms remains unclear.

Diet quality in adolescents with premenstrual syndrome: A cross-sectional study.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a complex of symptoms that can seriously affect the quality of life in women. It has been suggested that the nutritional status of adult women may influence the presence and/or severity of PMS symptoms. However, little is known about this association in adolescents. The present study aimed to examine the relationship between diet quality and the presence/severity of PMS symptoms in adolescents. A case-control study of 272 female students, aged 13-18 years, was conducted in a high school. PMS was diagnosed and the symptoms were recorded using Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS)-2006 in 2 consecutive months. Dietary intake was assessed with 24-hour-dietary intake recall method and Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) score was calculated as an indicator of diet quality. Anthropometric measurements, including body weight, height, waist circumference and hip circumference were taken. PMS was diagnosed in 56.9% of the study sample. The mean HEI-2010 score was significantly lower in the PMS group (47.5 ± 23.95) when compared to the control group (53.5 ± 20.98), P = 0.034. The PMS symptoms, anxiety (P = 0.009), depressive feelings (P = 0.016) and changes in sleeping pattern (P = 0.000) were associated with lower diet quality scores in the PMS group. No significant difference in anthropometric measurements was observed between the groups. The present study suggested that adolescents with a high-quality diet might experience depressive feelings, anxiety or changes in sleeping less when compared to those with a low quality diet. Therefore, the causal relationship between diet quality and presence/severity of PMS should be investigated in further studies.

A lecithin phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid complex (PAS) reduces symptoms of the premenstrual syndrome (PMS): Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial

Many women experience emotional and physical symptoms around the time of ovulation and more so before menstruation interfering with their daily normal life also known as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Recent observational data suggest that supplementation with Lipogen's phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidic acid (PA) complex (PAS) alleviates these PMS symptoms. The aim of this study was to confirm these observations on the effects of PAS on PMS symptom severity within a controlled clinical trial setting. Forty women aged 18-45 years with a diagnosis of PMS were assigned to either take PAS (containing 400mgPS & 400mgPA per day) or a matching placebo. The study comprised 5 on-site visits including 1 baseline menstrual cycle followed by 3 treatment cycles. Treatment intake was controlled for by using an electronic device, the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS®). Primary outcome of the study was the PMS symptoms severity as assessed by using the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP). Further, SIPS questionnaire (a German version of the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST)), salivary hormone levels (cortisol awakening response (CAR) and evening cortisol levels) as well as serum levels (cortisol, estradiol, progesterone and corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG)) were assessed. PMS symptoms as assessed by the DRSP Total score showed a significantly better improvement (p=0.001) over a 3 cycles PAS intake as compared to placebo. In addition, PAS treated women reported a greater improvement in physical (p=0.002) and depressive symptoms (p=0.068). They also reported a lower reduction of productivity (p=0.052) and a stronger decrease in interference with relationships with others (p=0.099) compared to the placebo group. No other DRSP scale or item showed significant results. Likewise, the reduction in the number of subjects fulfilling PMS or premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) criteria as classified by the SIPS did not differ between the PAS and the placebo group. For the biomarkers, the salivary cortisol percentage increase of the CAR was significantly less pronounced in the follicular phase of cycle 4 than in the follicular phase of cycle 1 for subjects taking PAS when compared to subjects taking placebo (p=0.018). Furthermore, the change of serum cortisol levels between visit 1 and visit 5 differed significantly between groups (p=0.043). While serum cortisol levels of PAS treated females slightly decreased between visit 1 and visit 5, cortisol levels of females treated with placebo increased. For all other biomarkers, no treatment effects were observed over the 4 cycles study period. Overall, this study confirms that a daily intake of PAS, containing 400mgPS and 400mgPA, can be considered as safe. Results substantiate the efficacy of PAS in reducing symptoms of PMS. In view of the recent inclusion of severe PMS symptoms (PMDD) in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the positive results of this clinical study merits consideration of developing the PAS complex as a botanical drug for treatment of PMDD. The study is registered at Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien with the registration number DRKS00009005.

The effect of applying pressure to the LIV3 and LI4 on the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome: A randomized clinical trial

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of simple acupressure protocol in LIV3, LI4 and placebo points on the quality of life (QOL) in women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). MethodThis paper reports a randomized, single blinded clinical trial. 97 participants (students in of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Iran) with PMS were allocated to three groups to receive 20min acupressure on different acupoints for 14days before menstruation for three consecutive menstrual cycles (training and then two cycles self applied acupressure). The acupoints were LIV3 and LI4; one group received acupressure at a placebo point. Each participant completed the PSST scale (to determine PMS severity), HADS scale (for depression and anxiety), and quality of life SF12. ResultsThe number of people with moderate/severe PMS decreased in LIV3 and LI4 acupressure groups by the second and third cycles compared with the placebo group (p<0.04).Moreover, depression and anxiety scores significantly decreased in the LIV3 and LI4 groups by the second and third cycles compared with the placebo group (p<0.05).Analyzing the score of SF12 fields in the second and third cycles showed a significant difference in all dimensions between the intervention and placebo groups. There was no significant difference between LIV3 and LI4 acupressure groups in decrease of PMS symptoms, anxiety and depression and improving SF12scores (p<0.05). ConclusionPerforming the simple acupressure protocol at LIV3 and LI4 is an effective method to decrease the severity of PMS symptoms, anxiety and depression, and to improve the QOL. Pressure at LIV3 and LI4 appears to be equally effective.

Comparing the Effect of Auriculotherapy and Vitamin B6 on the Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome among the Students who Lived in the Dorm of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

Background:Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a series of physical and psychological symptoms before menstruation which its prevalence around the world has been reported to be 80%. Consumption of vitamin B6 is a common treatment for this syndrome, and this study was conducted to compare the effect of auriculotherapy and vitamin B6 on the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.Materials and Methods:This study was a clinical trial. Eighty-four female students who lived at the university dorm were randomly selected and allocated into two groups of 42. The first group received auriculotherapy (10 sessions) for two menstrual cycles and the second group consumed 40 mg of vitamin B6 daily from a week before their menstruation for two menstrual cycles. The severity of symptoms was recorded for both groups during two cycles before the intervention and two cycles after the intervention. Data gathering tool was a 28-question, questionnaire to assess the severity of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome based on DSM-IV.Results:The mean score of symptoms in the auriculotherapy group in the first and second cycles was 26.70 (19.49) and 24.76 (17.07), respectively, and in the vitamin B6 group, was 22.60 (10.87) and 24.17 (14.15), respectively, which showed a significant difference compared to before the intervention (P = 0.001). However, comparing the total score of symptoms in the first and second cycles after the intervention between both groups showed no significant difference.Conclusions:Auriculotherapy, similar to vitamin B6, decreases the severity of PMS symptoms.

The Effect of Relaxation and Positive Self-Talk on Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is characterized by recurrent, moderate-to-severe affective, physical, and behavioral symptoms that develop during the luteal menstrual cycle and disappear within a few days of menstruation. Objectives: This article aims to identify the effects of relaxation, positive self-talk, and a combination of relaxation and positive self-talk on premenstrual syndrome. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 80 women with PMS disorder were selected using a simple random sampling method, in Hamadan, west of Iran. They were randomly divided into four groups. The first and second groups underwent positive self-talk and relaxation, respectively. The third group experienced positive self-talk and relaxation at the same time. The fourth group did not receive any treatment. The duration of treatment was 8 one-hour sessions. Data were collected using a PMS symptom severity questionnaire. All groups were followed up for six months after the intervention. Finally, data analysis was performed using SPSS version 18 for ANCOVA and Bonferroni tests. Results: The results showed that compared to the control group, relaxation (23.2) and positive self-talk (21.25) treatment methods alone can reduce PMS (P < 0.001). On the other hand, a combined (relaxation + positive self-talk) treatment method (13.75) was more effective in reducing PMS compared to relaxation or positive self-talk alone. Conclusions: It seems that psychological therapy based on relaxation and positive self-talk can be significantly effective in reducing