CHICAGO – A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D may lower the
risk of developing premenstrual syndrome (PMS), according to a
study in the June 13 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one
of the JAMA/Archives journals. While most women may experience
mild emotional or physical premenstrual symptoms, as many as
eight to 20 percent of women experience symptoms severe enough
to meet the definition of premenstrual syndrome, characterized
by moderate to severe symptoms that substantially interfere with
normal life activities and interpersonal relationships,
according to background information in the article. Previous
studies have suggested that calcium supplements and vitamin D, a
hormone that regulates the absorption of calcium, may reduce
premenstrual occurrence and severity. Elizabeth R. Bertone-
Johnson, Sc.D., of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and
colleagues compared the diets and supplement use of 1,057 women
aged 27 to 44 years who reported developing PMS over the course
of 10 years to 1,968 wome