---
title: What medications and supplements treat PMDD? | Niyora
description: SSRIs are the first-line medication. Combined oral contraceptives and Chasteberry are second-line options. Certainty varies by treatment type.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-pharmacotherapeutic-management-of-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-2023/
---

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- What medications and supplements treat PMDD?

Cohort study, 2023

# What medications and supplements treat PMDD?

SSRIs are the first-line medication. Combined oral contraceptives and Chasteberry are second-line options. Certainty varies by treatment type.

 Early or limited evidence

Women with PMDD (expert review summarizing evidence across populations)

## What they did

An expert review summarizing current knowledge about PMDD's causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and pharmacological treatment.

## What they found

SSRIs are established first-line treatment. Accurate diagnosis requires prospective daily symptom tracking for at least two menstrual cycles. Combined monophasic oral contraceptives are second-line. Chasteberry extract shows efficacy in mild-to-moderate cases. Compounds blocking allopregnanolone synthesis show preliminary promise.

## What it means for you

These are expert recommendations based on existing evidence about how to treat PMDD. Individual response varies. The main limitation is that this is expert opinion summarizing other research, not new primary data.

2

Minimum menstrual cycles of daily symptom tracking needed for accurate PMDD diagnosis

## About the study

Original title The pharmacotherapeutic management of premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Ciccone N, Kovacheff MB, Frey BN Journal Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy Year 2023 Study design Cohort study What was tested Not applicable; this is an expert review, not a treatment trial Read the paper [doi.org/10.1080/14656566.2022.2114345](https://doi.org/10.1080/14656566.2022.2114345)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Neurosteroids (allopregnanolone)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-neurosteroids/)[Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitex/)

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

Review, 2017

What causes PMDD and what are the best treatments?

Review, 2019

What causes PMDD and which treatments actually help?

Study, 2008

How common is PMDD and how does it affect women's lives?

Review, 2015

What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated?

Study, 2026

What treatments work for PMDD?

Review, 2019

Which contraceptive methods are safest for women with PMDD?

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