Chamomile for PMS: does it work?

Chamomile looks genuinely helpful for PMS, based on the trials we have so far. Several small randomized trials, mostly in university students, found chamomile capsules reduced PMS symptoms more than a placebo, and worked about as well as a common pain reliever for some symptoms.

A systematic review of eight randomized controlled trials concluded chamomile eases PMS symptoms overall (Journal of Pharmacopuncture, 2019). Individual trials found it helped with:

• Overall PMS severity, both physical and emotional symptoms
• Low mood, irritability, and other mood-related symptoms
• Breast pain (mastalgia) tied to the premenstrual week

Broader reviews of chamomile's pharmacology also list premenstrual syndrome among the conditions it may help, alongside its calming and anti-inflammatory effects (Electronic Physician, 2016).

Still, most of these trials are small, run by the same research groups, and only one or two menstrual cycles long. That keeps the evidence at moderate, not proven.

Here's how the main chamomile-for-PMS trials stack up:

A separate 2025 trial tested a chamomile and L-theanine drink for period pain and mood in young women, and found it eased pain, low mood, and irritability in the days around a period. That study combined chamomile with another calming compound, so it can't tell us how much of the effect came from chamomile alone.

Taken together, this is moderate evidence. The direction is consistent across several controlled trials, but sample sizes are small and follow-up is short.

The trials that showed a benefit used chamomile capsules, not tea, and started dosing before symptoms peaked:

• 100 mg chamomile capsule, three times a day, from day 21 of the cycle until the period starts
• 250 mg chamomile powder capsule, three times a day, starting 7 days before the expected period
• One capsule every 8 hours for the 7 days before the expected period

None of the trials tested chamomile tea at a set dose, so we don't know if a cup or two a day matches the effect seen with capsules. If you want to try it, a pharmacist can help you match a capsule product to a dose close to what the trials used.

This isn't a prescription, so check in with a pharmacist about dose and timing if you take other medication regularly.

Most trials measured results after one full menstrual cycle of daily chamomile, and some followed women for two cycles. Symptom scores improved compared to placebo by the end of that first cycle, and the biggest drop showed up after the second cycle in the trials that ran that long.

Chamomile's calming effects are thought to come from compounds like apigenin and glycine, which may ease anxiety and tension, though this hasn't been tested directly in PMS trials.

In practice, give chamomile at least one full cycle, started about a week before your period, before deciding whether it's helping. Tracking your symptoms day by day, for example on a DRSP chart, makes it easier to tell a real pattern from a good week.

Chamomile is one of the gentler herbal options, and the PMS trials reported few side effects. Still, it's not risk-free for everyone.

Possible side effects:

• Drowsiness or an upset stomach
• Allergic reaction, especially if you're allergic to ragweed, daisies, marigolds, or chrysanthemums
• Increased bleeding risk if combined with blood-thinning medication, since chamomile may add to that effect

Avoid chamomile, or ask a pharmacist first, if you are:

• Taking warfarin or another blood thinner
• Pregnant or breastfeeding, since safety data here is limited
• Allergic to plants in the daisy family
• About to have surgery, since chamomile may affect bleeding and sedation

If PMS symptoms are severe enough that you're missing a week of normal life every month, chamomile alone probably won't be enough. See a GP or gynecologist and bring two months of daily notes.

Chamomile works best alongside the basics: steady sleep, regular movement, and knowing roughly what week of your cycle you're in. For a wider look at what's backed by evidence, see PMS treatment: what actually helps, which covers SSRIs, certain hormonal contraceptives, and CBT alongside herbal options like chamomile.

If your symptoms feel heavier than typical PMS, mood swings, anger, or anxiety that take over the week before your period, it's worth reading what PMS actually is and whether chamomile's evidence holds up the same way for PMDD specifically.

If a pattern like that keeps showing up, a PMDD specialist can help you sort out what's PMS, what's PMDD, and what else might be going on.

Our research page rounds up the evidence behind PMS and PMDD treatments in one place.

Niyora is a PMS and PMDD support app. If you're in the middle of a hard moment tonight and chamomile tea isn't going to work fast enough, Niyora's Moon feature lets you write down what happened, see it from another angle, and draft a reply you can sit on for 20 minutes before you send anything.