PMS Relief from Phospholipid Supplement

Juliane Hellhammer, PhD

As many as 3 in 4 women say they experience premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms at some point in their lifetime, according to the Office on Women’s Health of the US Department of Health and Human Services, though for most women the symptoms are mild.

According to the American Family Physician Journal, 20% to 30% of women of child-bearing age experience PMS, while PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) affects 3% to 8% of pre-menopausal women.

A recent study examined the effects of Lipogen PMS™, a natural phospholipid formulation, on PMS symptoms, producing positive results. The product consists of a lecithin phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidic acid (PA) complex (PAS).

"I am quite impressed that a natural, non-pharmaceutical product has promising potential for relieving women's PMS symptoms," said Juliane Hellhammer, PhD, founder and CEO of daacro, a contract research organization in Trier, Germany, in a statement.

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study included 40 women aged 18-45 with a PMS diagnosis from a gynecologist. Participants were required to have regular menstrual cycles with constant cycle duration (25—35 days) and easy access to computer and internet at home.

The women were assigned to take either 400mg of PS and 400mg of PA per day (PAS) or a placebo. The study included 5 on-site visits over the course of 4 menstrual cycles. The first menstrual cycle was used as a baseline and daily treatment with either PAS or placebo began with the second cycle.

Primary outcome of the study was the PMS symptoms severity as assessed by Total score of the Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP). Additionally, SIPS questionnaire (a German version of the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool), salivary hormone levels (cortisol awakening response (CAR) and evening cortisol levels) as well as serum levels (cortisol, estradiol, progesterone and corticosteroid binding globulin) were assessed.

The DRSP assesses psychological symptoms like depression, anxiousness, mood swings, irritability and difficulties in concentration and physiological symptoms like breast tenderness, headache or weight gain.

The researchers observed an average symptom reduction of 8.92% within the placebo group and of 19.40% within the PAS group.

Results indicated that PAS reduced physiological symptoms by about 20.14% compared with 12.10% and depressive symptoms by about 20.18% compared with 7.11% within the placebo group. Researchers also found that PAS provided cognitive relief by lowering the impact of PMS on productivity and social relief by reducing PMS interference in relationships.

No significant differences between PAS and placebo groups were found for any of the further salivary cortisol measures, corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG), estradiol, and progesterone, as well as for the SIPS outcomes.

“One reason for not seeing group differences for CBG, estradiol, and progesterone could be that women suffering from PMS do not have abnormal hormone levels, but are rather over-sensitive to hormonal fluctuations,” said the researchers. “This needs to be further investigated.”

The study, “A lecithin phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid complex (PAS) reduces symptoms of the premenstrual syndrome (PMS): Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial,” was published online in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN last month.