Pill to cure the PMT blues revealed

A CAPSULE containing a mixture of fatty acids can help lift the monthly curse of PMT, research has shown.

The supplement significantly reduces the emotional and physical symptoms that regularly blight the lives of millions of British women and their partners, say scientists.

Women taking the 2g capsules over six months reported their symptoms becoming far milder than they were before.

PMT, or pre-menstrual tension - also known as pre- menstrual syndrome (PMS) - affects between 80 per cent and 95 per cent of women of reproductive age, a third of whom suffer disruption to their routine activities.

The symptoms typically strike ten to 12 days before a woman has her period.

The psychological effects can include irritability, mood swings, depression and angry outbursts.

These may be accompanied by physical symptoms such as abdominal cramps, bloating, headaches and palpitations.

Up to 15 per cent of cases are severe enough to be classified as a disabling condition called pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

This has been known to lead to serious mental problems requiring psychiatric help - and even to attempted suicide and murder, according to the Brazilian researchers writing in the journal Reproductive Health.

The capsules contain a mix of oils, including gamma linolenic acid, oleic acid and linoleic acid, combined with vitamin E.

The supplement was tested on a group of 120 women aged 16 to 49 with diagnosed PMS or PMDD, who were either given the treatment or a "dummy" placebo capsule.

The women were asked to rate a list of symptoms according their severity, with each given a score from zero to three. Each month, the combined scores were added up.

Over six months, those taking a 2g dose of the oils saw their scores drop from 98 to 28.

The placebo group also experienced a reduction, thought to be due to the "placebo effect", but it was much smaller.

The lead researcher, Dr Edilberto Rocha Filho, from the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil, said: "The negative effect of PMS on a woman's routine activities and quality of life may be significant, in addition to the repercussions on economic costs resulting predominantly from a reduction in productivity.

"Essential oil capsules can now be said to show much promise as a treatment."

Essential fatty acids may reduce PMS symptoms through their effect on prostaglandins, important messenger molecules that regulate a number of biological functions, the scientists believe.

The capsules were provided by the Brazilian supplement company Hebron Farmaceutica.

In their paper, the researchers said the company played no role in the study and there were no conflicts of interest.