Chromium supplementation for menstrual cycle-related mood symptoms.
Author(s): Brownley KA(1), Girdler SS, Stout AL, McLeod MN.
Affiliation(s): Author information:
(1)1Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel
Hill, NC, USA.
Publication date & source: 2013, J Diet Suppl. , 10(4):345-56
BACKGROUND: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) afflicts ~7% of
reproductive-age women resulting in impaired relationships, diminished overall
quality of life, and disability-adjusted life years lost on par with other major
psychiatric disorders. Response to pharmacological treatment is inadequate in
~50% of women with PMDD.
OBJECTIVE: The goal of the present study is to evaluate the effects of a novel
approach-short-term chromium supplementation-on menstrual cycle-related mood and
physical symptoms.
METHODS: Five women were studied under single-blind conditions in a private
clinical setting (2 of them were referred specifically for treatment-resistant
menstrual-related symptoms); 6 women completed a double-blind crossover study of
chromium plus placebo versus chromium plus sertraline in a university clinical
research setting. Treatments were administered from mid-cycle to onset of menses
in 1-month intervals. Symptom ratings were obtained by self-report, using daily
symptom checklists, and by clinical assessment, using the Hamilton Psychiatric
Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI)
scale.
RESULTS: Overall, chromium treatment was associated with reduced mood symptoms
and improved overall health satisfaction in most participants. In some cases,
chromium alone was associated with marked clinical improvement; in others,
chromium plus an antidepressant resulted in greater improvement than either
chromium alone or an antidepressant alone.
CONCLUSION: These preliminary observations suggest that chromium may be a useful
monotherapy or adjunctive therapy for women suffering from significant menstrual
cycle-related symptoms. Larger, controlled studies are needed to evaluate the
efficacy of chromium treatment in this patient population.
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