Vitamin E pill 'eases pain of PMS by up to two-thirds'

A capsule containing a cocktail of ­essential oils and vitamins could make PMS less painful for millions of women – not to mention the men in their lives.

In tests, the natural supplement cut monthly symptoms by up to two-thirds, with minimal side-effects.

It is thought the pills, which contain a mixture of healthy fats and vitamin E, make the body less sensitive to a hormone blamed for much of the misery of pre-menstrual syndrome.

Flare-up: PMS can have a severe negative impact on the lives of many women - and their partners

Although PMS is often viewed as a minor inconvenience, it affects around three-quarters of women – and up to 40 per cent of those say it damages their quality of life.

In extreme cases, women can become violent and suffer from severe depression.

There is also an economic impact, with research suggesting that time off and loss of productivity due to the syndrome annually costs employers around £3,000 per female employee. Treatments range from simple dietary changes to hormones and anti-depressants. But they do not work for all and, in the case of drugs, can have side-effects.

In a study, 120 women were asked to rate the severity of the bloating, tiredness and aches and pains that often beset them in the days leading to menstruation.

Eighty were then prescribed pills containing varying doses of a trio of polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E, which is found in nuts, seeds and green vegetables. Forty women were given packs of dummy pills.

All were told to take two capsules before bedtime each night leading up to their period and asked to rate their symptoms after three months and again at six months.

Those taking the essential oils experienced a clear easing of symptoms after three months. By six months the effects were dramatic, especially among those taking the highest doses.

In some of these cases the severity of ­symptoms fell by more than two-thirds, the journal Reproductive Health reports. Side-effects were rare, with one woman experiencing stomach ache and another’s period starting later than usual.

The researchers, from the Federal University of Pernambuco, in Brazil, believe the contents of the capsules make the body less sensitive to prolactin, a hormone blamed for fluid retention and breast tenderness.

Reacting to the study, Nick Panay, a consultant gynaecologist and chairman of the National Association for Premenstrual Syndrome, questioned whether the capsules would relieve psychological symptoms such as mood swings or low self-esteem. But he added: ‘It sounds encouraging and it is good to see that people are doing proper trials.’