In some cases, hormones can offer relief. But now, new research describes an herbal remedy that appears to be as effective as medical treatment, with fewer side effects. Whether this alternative approach deserves a green light, though, remains to be seen, other experts caution. The symptoms, which can last from one to 14 days, affect from 30 percent to 50 percent of all women of childbearing age. Little consistent evidence exists on the cause of PMS, however, and current medical approaches to the disorder concentrate largely on treating individual symptoms.
Research has shown that exercise, a healthy diet and stress management can reduce symptoms.
And because several studies have suggested that hormonal imbalance is to blame, the most widely tested medication is progesterone. Along with several colleagues, he randomly assigned 86 women to take a 20-milligram tablet of agnus castus extract daily for three months, while another 84 women received a placebo. Neither group knew which pill they were taking. Each woman kept track of the severity of six PMS symptoms over that time. In fact, the women taking agnus castus extract reported a 50 percent improvement in their symptoms.