There is a wealth of hype and misinformation surrounding nontraditional, or complementary, methods of PMS relief. What Works Calcium supplements and magnesium supplements have been scientifically proven to work. A daily dose of 1,200mg of chewable calcium carbonate has been shown to reduce physical and psychological premenstrual symptoms by almost 50 percent. A 200mg daily dose of magnesium can reduce fluid retention, breast tenderness and bloating by 40 percent. What May Work PMS Escape, a commercially available drink, was shown to decrease symptoms of depression, anger, confusion and carbohydrate cravings within three hours of consumption.
Vitamin E is thought to help relieve cramps and breast tenderness.
Natural progesterone creams may ease some symptoms, although no studies have proven their effectiveness. Likewise, some women report relief from numerous herbal remedies, but scientific proof is scarce. What Doesn t Work Studies of Vitamin B6, once a commonly recommended PMS treatment, failed to prove its effectiveness. Additionally, high doses may cause nerve damage. Until recently, the only options for hair removal were bleaching, shaving, tweezing and waxing all of which are either messy or painful, and none of which last very long.