---
title: What non-antidepressant treatments might help PMS? | Niyora
description: A study of 466 women found calcium was effective at reducing emotional, behavioral, and physical PMS symptoms. Cognitive therapy, light therapy, and tryptopha
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/non-antidepressant-treatment-of-premenstrual-syndrome-2000/
---

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- What non-antidepressant treatments might help PMS?

Randomised trial, 2000

# What non-antidepressant treatments might help PMS?

A study of 466 women found calcium was effective at reducing emotional, behavioral, and physical PMS symptoms. Cognitive therapy, light therapy, and tryptophan also showed promise in early trials.

 Moderate study design

466 women with premenstrual syndrome in the main cited study

## What they did

This article reviewed multiple studies on non-antidepressant PMS treatments, including a large double-blind placebo-controlled study of 466 women who took calcium.

## What they found

Calcium reduced emotional, behavioral, and physical premenstrual symptoms. Ovulation-suppressing medications helped but carried risks like low estrogen and bone loss. Cognitive therapy, light therapy, and tryptophan showed promise in preliminary trials.

## What it means for you

Calcium may be a safe, accessible option to try for PMS. Several other non-drug treatments look promising but need more research before we know if they really work.

466

Women in calcium study

## About the study

Original title Non-antidepressant treatment of premenstrual syndrome Authors Pearlstein T, Steiner M Journal The Journal of clinical psychiatry Year 2000 Study design Randomised trial Participants 466 What was tested Calcium and other non-antidepressant approaches including cognitive therapy, light therapy, and tryptophan Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11041381/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11041381/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[Cognitive behavioral therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-cbt/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Calcium](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-calcium/)[Magnesium](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-magnesium/)[Light therapy and sleep deprivation](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-light-therapy/)[Diuretics and other drugs](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diuretics-other-drugs/)

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

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Randomised trial, 2010

What treatments work for premenstrual syndrome?

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