---
title: Do women with PMS have different brain chemistry, and can vitamin B6 fix it?
description: Women with PMS have higher levels of a brain chemical linked to stress. Vitamin B6 did not reduce these levels.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/increased-urinary-mhpg-excretion-in-premenstrual-syndrome-pms-the-effect-of-1987/
---

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- Do women with PMS have different brain chemistry, and can vitamin B6 fix it?

Case-control study, 1987

# Do women with PMS have different brain chemistry, and can vitamin B6 fix it?

Women with PMS have higher levels of a brain chemical linked to stress. Vitamin B6 did not reduce these levels.

 Moderate study design

Women with PMS and matched healthy women (exact number not stated)

## What they did

Researchers compared urine samples from women with PMS to samples from healthy women to measure a brain chemical. Some women with PMS also took vitamin B6 (120 mg per day) for one full menstrual cycle, and their urine was measured again.

## What they found

Women with PMS had MHPG levels (a brain chemical marker) 40% higher than healthy controls and produced 20% more urine per day. Vitamin B6 did not reduce MHPG levels, but it did increase daytime urine production by 12%.

## What it means for you

Women with PMS show signs of higher stress-related brain activity, which might help explain some symptoms. However, vitamin B6 did not reduce this activity. A major limitation is that the study's sample size is not stated, making it hard to know how reliable the findings are.

40%

Higher MHPG levels in PMS group

120 mg

Daily dose of vitamin B6

12%

Increase in daytime urine production with B6

## About the study

Original title Increased urinary MHPG excretion in premenstrual syndrome (PMS). The effect of vitamin B6 Authors Jaap Schrijver, Elisabeth S. Louwerse, Hein W. Bruinse et al. Journal Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology Year 1987 Study design Case-control study What was tested Vitamin B6, 120 mg daily for one menstrual cycle Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/01674828709019421](https://doi.org/10.3109/01674828709019421)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Vitamin B6](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitamin-b6/)

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