Case-control study, 1986
Do women with PMS have lower vitamin B6 levels?
No. Vitamin B6 levels were the same in women with PMS and control women. However, women with PMS showed slightly higher levels of certain tryptophan breakdown products, which deserves further study.
What they did
Researchers measured vitamin B6 levels and tryptophan metabolism in blood and urine samples from 19 women with PMS and 19 matched control women throughout one full menstrual cycle.
What they found
There were no significant differences in vitamin B6 forms, enzyme activity, or urine markers between the two groups. Women with PMS tended to have higher excretion of tryptophan metabolites xanthurenic acid and 8-methyl-xanthurenic acid, both before and after a tryptophan test. Both groups showed significant cyclic variation in B6 markers during the menstrual cycle.
What it means for you
PMS does not appear to be caused by simple vitamin B6 deficiency. The slightly higher tryptophan metabolites in women with PMS are interesting and deserve further investigation. The study is small, so results need confirmation in larger groups before drawing firm conclusions.
19
women with PMS
19
control women
About the study
- Original title
- Vitamin B6 status of women suffering from premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- van den Berg H, Louwerse ES, Bruinse HW et al.
- Journal
- Human nutrition. Clinical nutrition
- Year
- 1986
- Study design
- Case-control study
- Participants
- 19
- What was tested
- None - observational study measuring existing B6 levels
- Read the paper
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3793524/
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