Calcium Supplementation for the Treatment of PMS

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Calcium Supplementation for the Treatment of PMS.

Recent evidence suggests that disturbances in calcium regulation may be present in premenstrual syndrome (PMS). This industry-sponsored, double-blind, multicenter trial randomized 497 women aged 18 to 45 years with PMS to receive 1,200 mg of elemental calcium per day in the form of calcium carbonate or placebo for three menstrual cycles. Their symptoms had been recorded prospectively over two menstrual cycles with a validated daily self-assessment questionnaire composed of 17 items on four scales measuring negative affect, water retention, food cravings, and pain. The primary outcome measure was the average of the 17 daily symptom ratings.

During the luteal phase of the second and third treatment cycles, the calcium group reported significantly lower mean symptom scores than did the placebo group. During the third cycle of the same phase, calcium reduced total symptom scores by 48 percent compared with 30 percent for placebo, and a significant calcium effect was observed on all four clusters of symptoms. Fifty-five percent of the treated subjects reported a greater than 50 percent improvement in symptoms compared with 36 percent of those given placebo.

Comment: In this study, calcium was not uniformly effective, the responses were modest even when present, and there was a substantial placebo effect. Nevertheless, the safety of this treatment suggests that a trial of calcium may be warranted for women with PMS.

— RW Rebar

Published in Journal Watch General Medicine September 18, 1998

Citation(s):

Thys-Jacobs S et al. Calcium carbonate and the premenstrual syndrome: Effects on premenstrual and menstrual symptoms. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1998 Aug 179 444-452.

Medline abstract (Free)

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