[Evaluation the effect of vitamin E on premenstrual syndrome]

Premenstrual syndrome [PMS] is a most common disorder of premenopausal women that affected 95% of reproductive age women. This syndrome was diagnosed by recurrent psychological and behavioral and physical symptoms in premenstrual cycle that disappeared one or two days after menstruation. According to previous research, vitamin E has beneficial effects on reduction of PMS symptoms such pain, mastalgia, carbohydrate craving, irritability, and anxiety. To evaluate the effect of vitamin E on PMS and hypothesis beneficial effects of high dose vitamin E on PMS. This is a triple blind randomized study which was performed on 79 students that they were not any diseases. Diagnosis of syndrome according to the American Psychiatry Association [APA[includes one psychological and physical symptom from common symptoms of PMS. 250 students of medical science of Iran university completed PMS questionnaire for three cycle of menstruation. Then 79 subjects affected by PMS allocated randomly to two groups of vitamin E [400 UI] and placebo [500 mg starch powder]. They completed rating scale of PMS in one week before menses with drug for three cycle of menstruation. Data was analyzed by pair-t-test and independent -t-test. Severity of syndrome in vitamin E group was reduced in comparison with result before treatment; their difference was significant [p /= 0.005]. According to this study 400UI vitamin E caused effective treatment of PMS but was not rather than placebo. More studies in this field can be recommended to compare several different dose of vitamin E on severity of PMS. Also we recommended change of placebo, because carbohydrates can effect on PMS