---
title: Does spironolactone help PMS symptoms? | Niyora
description: Overall no. Spironolactone showed no significant improvement compared to placebo. However, some women with specific hormone patterns may respond.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-and-spironolactone-1991/
---

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- Does spironolactone help PMS symptoms?

Randomised trial, 1991

# Does spironolactone help PMS symptoms?

Overall no. Spironolactone showed no significant improvement compared to placebo. However, some women with specific hormone patterns may respond.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with PMS (sample size not reported)

## What they did

Double blind placebo-controlled randomized crossover study. Women self-assessed somatic and neuropsychiatric symptoms daily for 14 days prior to menstruation. Hormone levels were also measured.

## What they found

No significant difference in symptoms on or off spironolactone. Estradiol, progesterone, and prolactin levels showed no changes from follicular to luteal phase. In women who did respond to spironolactone, there was a significant difference in androgen levels from follicular to luteal phase before treatment.

## What it means for you

Spironolactone did not help PMS symptoms on average, but may help women with specific androgen patterns. The study did not report the total number of participants, making it difficult to judge the strength of evidence.

14

days tracked prior to menstruation

3

hormones measured

2

cycle phases compared

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual syndrome and spironolactone Authors Burnet RB, Radden HS, Easterbrook EG et al. Journal The Australian & New Zealand journal of obstetrics & gynaecology Year 1991 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Spironolactone Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-828x.1991.tb02824.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1479-828x.1991.tb02824.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[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.

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Systematic review, 2007

What treatments work for premenstrual syndrome?

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