--- title: Does Valerian root extract reduce PMS symptoms? | Niyora description: Yes. Women taking Valerian root extract had significantly lower emotional, behavioral, and physical PMS symptoms compared to placebo. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-effect-of-valerian-root-extract-on-the-severity-of-pre-menstrual-syndrome-2016/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does Valerian root extract reduce PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 2016 # Does Valerian root extract reduce PMS symptoms? Yes. Women taking Valerian root extract had significantly lower emotional, behavioral, and physical PMS symptoms compared to placebo. Moderate study design 100 female university students with PMS in Iran ## What they did Double-blind randomized trial with 100 female university students with PMS in Iran. They were randomly assigned to receive either Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) or placebo. Participants took 2 pills daily during the last 7 days of their menstrual cycle for 3 cycles. Symptoms were measured before the treatment and after. ## What they found The Valerian group had a significant decrease in emotional, behavioral, and physical PMS symptoms (p<0.001). The placebo group had no significant change. ## What it means for you Valerian root may help reduce PMS symptoms, including mood changes and physical pain. The study only lasted 3 cycles and only included Iranian university students, so results may not apply to all women. This was a double-blind study, which is strong evidence. 100 women in the study 3 cycles study duration 7 days treatment given in last days of cycle ## About the study Original title The effect of Valerian root extract on the severity of pre menstrual syndrome symptoms Authors Behboodi Moghadam Z, Rezaei E, Shirood Gholami R et al. Journal Journal of traditional and complementary medicine Year 2016 Study design Randomised trial Participants 100 What was tested Valerian root extract versus placebo, 2 pills daily in the last 7 days of the menstrual cycle Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2015.09.001](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2015.09.001) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/) 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, 2025 Which is more effective for PMS - Vitagnus, soy, or both together? Randomised trial, 2026 Can propolis and fennelin reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2026 How common is PMDD among female medical students and what triggers it? Randomised trial, 2024 Does a herbal soft gel capsule with three oils reduce PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 2021 Does nigella sativa oil reduce PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 2020 Does anise reduce PMS symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗