---
title: What is the best dose of Vitex for treating PMS? | Niyora
description: A dose of 20 mg daily was most effective for reducing PMS symptoms. Higher dose (30 mg) was no better, and lower dose (8 mg) was less effective.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/dose-dependent-efficacy-of-the-vitex-agnus-castus-extract-ze-440-in-patients-2020/
---

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- What is the best dose of Vitex for treating PMS?

Randomised trial, 2020

# What is the best dose of Vitex for treating PMS?

A dose of 20 mg daily was most effective for reducing PMS symptoms. Higher dose (30 mg) was no better, and lower dose (8 mg) was less effective.

 Strong study design

162 women aged 18-45 with PMS (multicenter)

## What they did

Multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial with 162 women aged 18-45 with PMS. Participants received placebo or Vitex agnus castus extract Ze 440 at doses of 8, 20, or 30 mg daily over 3 menstrual cycles. PMS symptom severity was measured by visual analog scale for symptoms including irritability, mood changes, anger, headache, bloating, and breast tenderness.

## What they found

The 20 mg dose significantly reduced total symptom scores compared to placebo and the 8 mg dose. The 30 mg dose did not reduce symptoms significantly more than the 20 mg dose. Similar dose-response patterns were observed for individual symptoms.

## What it means for you

For this Vitex extract, 20 mg per day appears to be the optimal dose. More is not better. This is a well-designed study with multiple sites.

162

Women with PMS

20 mg

Optimal daily dose

3

Menstrual cycles of treatment

## About the study

Original title Dose-Dependent Efficacy of the Vitex Agnus Castus Extract ZE 440 in Patients Suffering from Premenstrual Syndrome Authors Р. Шелленберг, К. Циммерманн, Ю. Древе Journal Репродуктивное здоровье Восточная Европа Year 2020 Study design Randomised trial Participants 440 What was tested Three doses of Vitex agnus castus extract Ze 440 (8, 20, or 30 mg) or placebo daily for 3 menstrual cycles Read the paper [doi.org/10.34883/pi.2020.10.4.002](https://doi.org/10.34883/pi.2020.10.4.002)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitex/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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