--- title: Does low-dose sertraline help moderate-to-severe PMS when used in different dosing patterns? description: Yes. Low-dose sertraline (25 or 50 mg/day) significantly improved PMS symptoms with multiple dosing patterns: taking it only during the second half of the cyc url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/low-dose-sertraline-in-the-treatment-of-moderate-to-severe-premenstrual-syndrome-2006/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does low-dose sertraline help moderate-to-severe PMS when used in different dosing patterns? Randomised trial, 2006 # Does low-dose sertraline help moderate-to-severe PMS when used in different dosing patterns? Yes. Low-dose sertraline (25 or 50 mg/day) significantly improved PMS symptoms with multiple dosing patterns: taking it only during the second half of the cycle, all month, or starting when symptoms begin. Strong study design 314 women with moderate-to-severe PMS from 22 U.S. sites ## What they did RCT of 314 women with moderate-to-severe PMS from 22 U.S. sites. Women received sertraline 25 mg/day, sertraline 50 mg/day, or placebo for 4 menstrual cycles after a 1-cycle placebo lead-in. Three dosing strategies were tested: taking it only during the second half of the cycle for 2 cycles, taking it all month for 1 cycle, and taking it starting when symptoms appear for 1 cycle. ## What they found Low-dose sertraline (both 25 and 50 mg/day) significantly reduced PMS symptoms compared to placebo when taken during the second half of the cycle only. Continuous dosing and symptom-onset dosing also worked, especially at the 25 mg/day dose. Improvements were seen in daily symptom reports, symptom severity, overall improvement, quality of life, and social adjustment. ## What it means for you Sertraline at low doses is safe and effective for moderate-to-severe PMS. Women don't need to take it every day of the month. The 25 mg/day dose was particularly effective, suggesting very low doses may be sufficient. The main limit is that this study was conducted only in U.S. sites. 314 women 25 or 50 mg/day sertraline dose 4 menstrual cycles of treatment ## About the study Original title Low-dose sertraline in the treatment of moderate-to-severe premenstrual syndrome: efficacy of 3 dosing strategies Authors Kornstein SG, Pearlstein TB, Fayyad R et al. Journal The Journal of clinical psychiatry Year 2006 Study design Randomised trial Participants 314 What was tested Sertraline 25 or 50 mg/day or placebo for 4 cycles: luteal phase only, continuous, or symptom-onset dosing Read the paper [doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v67n1020](https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v67n1020) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/) 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. ## Related studies Randomised trial, 2023 Does taking sertraline when PMDD symptoms start improve how well women function? Review, 2019 What is the current evidence for diagnosing and treating PMDD, especially in Indian women? Review, 2009 What causes PMDD and what are the treatment options? Review, 2005 Do antidepressants improve quality of life in women with PMDD? Randomised trial, 2003 Do SSRIs (antidepressants) help PMDD? Randomised trial, 2002 Does taking fluoxetine only during the luteal phase help PMDD? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗