Skip to content

Randomised trial, 2024

Does curcumin reduce depression, anxiety, and stress in women with PMS and dysmenorrhea?

Yes, curcumin significantly reduced depression, anxiety, and stress and improved mental health and quality of life compared to placebo. This was a larger, high-quality study.

Strong study design 128 women with premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea

What they did

Triple-blinded randomized controlled trial with 128 women with PMS and dysmenorrhea. Participants took curcumin capsules (500 mg curcuminoids plus 5 mg piperine) or placebo daily for 3 consecutive menstrual cycles. Depression, anxiety, stress, and quality of life were measured before and after.

What they found

Curcumin significantly improved overall quality of life and mental health domain compared to placebo. It also significantly decreased depression, anxiety, and stress scores across all domains (p less than 0.05).

What it means for you

Curcumin is a natural, accessible option for reducing psychological symptoms and improving quality of life in women with PMS and dysmenorrhea. This was a larger, strong study, but more research is needed in different populations and settings.

128

Total women studied

500

Curcuminoids dose in milligrams

3

Number of menstrual cycles

About the study

Original title
Curcumin Ameliorates Depression, and Anxiety in Patients with Premenstrual Syndrome and Dysmenorrhea: A Triple-Blinded Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors
Afsane Bahrami, Fatemeh Nikoomanesh, Hossein Dehghani et al.
Journal
Nāmah-ʼi Dāniškadah-ʼi piziškī-i Irān.
Year
2024
Study design
Randomised trial
Participants
64
What was tested
Curcumin (500 mg curcuminoids plus 5 mg piperine) or placebo daily for 3 menstrual cycles
Open access
Yes

Topics