Fatty Acid Supplementation Found To Reduce PMS Symptoms

A six-month randomized, controlled trial involving 120 women in Brazil has found that daily one- or two-gram doses of capsulized polyunsaturated fats (oleic, linoleic, and gamma-linolenic acids) plus vitamin E significantly reduced premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. The researchers also found that administration of the dietary supplement did not change the total cholesterol levels of the patients. PMS symptoms were shown to be reduced at both three and six months after the start of treatment with only mild, insignificant adverse effects unrelated to the medication. The two -gram dose appeared to have the greatest clinical benefit. “The results of the current study present some evidence in support of the use of essential fatty acids in PMS patients,” the researchers concluded.