---
title: Is low vitamin B6 a cause of PMS? | Niyora
description: No. Vitamin B6 levels were similar in women with severe PMS and those without symptoms, suggesting B6 deficiency does not cause PMS.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/plasma-pyridoxal-5-phosphate-in-women-with-the-premenstrual-syndrome-1986/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Is low vitamin B6 a cause of PMS?

Study, 1986

# Is low vitamin B6 a cause of PMS?

No. Vitamin B6 levels were similar in women with severe PMS and those without symptoms, suggesting B6 deficiency does not cause PMS.

 Moderate study design

210 healthy premenopausal women, including 41 with moderate or severe PMS and 95 with no or slight symptoms

## What they did

Researchers measured vitamin B6 levels in 210 healthy women and compared those with moderate or severe PMS to those with no or mild symptoms.

## What they found

Vitamin B6 levels were similar in women with moderate or severe PMS (41 women, 20% of the total) and women with no or only slight symptoms (95 women, 45% of the total). Women with PMS were older and more likely to have children, but smoking and contraceptive use were similar in both groups.

## What it means for you

Vitamin B6 deficiency does not appear to be a cause of PMS. However, the study only measured B6 at one point, not over time.

210

women studied

41

with moderate or severe PMS

95

with no or slight symptoms

## About the study

Original title Plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate in women with the premenstrual syndrome Authors Ritchie CD, Singkamani R Journal Human nutrition. Clinical nutrition Year 1986 Study design Study Participants 210 Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3957714/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3957714/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Vitamin B6](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitamin-b6/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)

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

Study, 2024

How do lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, and stress affect menstrual health and PMS?

Survey study, 2025

Does PMDD or PMS affect quality of life?

Systematic review, 2025

Do nutritional interventions help with emotional symptoms of PMS?

Systematic review, 2025

Does alcohol use affect menstrual health in teenage girls?

Systematic review, 2022

What factors increase risk of period pain and PMS symptoms?

Systematic review, 2021

Does substance use change across the menstrual cycle, especially in women with PMS or PMDD?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗