--- title: Does Vitex (chaste tree) help PMS and PMDD symptoms? | Niyora description: Most studies found Vitex better than placebo for PMS. For PMDD, results were mixed: one study showed it equal to fluoxetine, while another found fluoxetine mo url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/vitex-agnus-castus-extracts-for-female-reproductive-disorders-a-systematic-2013/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does Vitex (chaste tree) help PMS and PMDD symptoms? Systematic review, 2013 # Does Vitex (chaste tree) help PMS and PMDD symptoms? Most studies found Vitex better than placebo for PMS. For PMDD, results were mixed: one study showed it equal to fluoxetine, while another found fluoxetine more effective. Side effects were mild. Strong study design Women with PMS, PMDD, or latent hyperprolactinaemia from randomized controlled trials ## What they did Systematic review of 12 to 13 randomized controlled trials. Searched multiple databases for studies testing Vitex as the sole treatment. Included 8 studies on PMS, 2 on PMDD, and 2 on other hormone conditions. Assessed methodological quality and bias. ## What they found For PMS: 7 of 8 trials found Vitex superior to placebo (5 studies), pyridoxine (1 study), or magnesium oxide (1 study). For PMDD: 1 study reported Vitex equivalent to fluoxetine, while the other found fluoxetine outperformed Vitex. Adverse events were mild and infrequent. ## What it means for you Vitex appears helpful for PMS symptoms, but evidence for PMDD is less clear. Main limitations: small sample sizes in some studies and variation in what treatments were compared. 7 of 8 PMS trials where Vitex beat placebo or other treatments 12 Randomized controlled trials included in review 8 Studies testing Vitex for PMS ## About the study Original title Vitex agnus-castus extracts for female reproductive disorders: a systematic review of clinical trials Authors van Die MD, Burger HG, Teede HJ et al. Journal Planta medica Year 2013 Study design Systematic review What was tested Vitex agnus-castus (chaste tree) extracts Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1055/s-0032-1327831](https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0032-1327831) ## 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/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Magnesium](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-magnesium/)[Vitamin B6](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitamin-b6/)[Vitex agnus-castus (chasteberry)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitex/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/)[Diuretics and other drugs](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diuretics-other-drugs/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/) 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, 2015 What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated? Randomised trial, 2003 What treatments work for PMS and PMDD? Survey study, 2026 What are the causes, diagnosis, and treatments for PMS and PMDD? Review, 2023 Can herbs and supplements help with PMS symptoms? Review, 2001 What is the best treatment approach for PMS and PMDD? Guideline, 2019 How should doctors treat PMS and PMDD? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗