Many of you are aware of the beneficial effects of taking vitamin B6 10 days pre-menstrually to decrease PMS symptoms such as moodiness, depression, fluid retention and breast tenderness.

A new clinical trial further confirms that this helpful single B vitamin does indeed do a very good job. A large group of university students received either pyridoxine (B6) 80mg or placebo for twocycles. Prior to treatment the most prevalent symptoms were irritability (87%) and depression (87.5%).

Treatment with B6 improved moodiness, irritability, anxiety, depression, forgetfulness, unreasonable crying, sugar craving, bloating and breast tenderness significantly. Compared with placebo, the group receiving B6 had a significantly greater reduc- tion in overall PMS severity.

In the clinic I frequently combine B6 supplementation with Omega 6 and herbal medicine, such as Vitex, which normally resolves most pre-menstrual symptoms. Interesting to note the OCP depletes stores of B6 (as well as zinc and magnesium) and dopamine synthesis is dependant on B6 availability.