SSRIs recommended as first treatment choice for PMDD

(HealthDay)—Antidepressants are the first treatment choice for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), according to a new research review published in the September issue of the Journal of Psychiatric Practice.

Kenneth Trevino, Ph.D., a psychologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and his coauthor Shalini Maharaj, also at UT Southwestern, looked at the evidence supporting different therapies for PMDD.

Trevino and Maharaj recommend that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors be the first choice for a woman with PMDD. The researchers found that calcium supplementation appears helpful for women with PMDD. Options such as saffron and ginkgo biloba showed some promise in initial trials but need more research. Behavioral therapies don't seem to produce much improvement.

Dietary factors like caffeine and "carbohydrate-rich" beverages seemed to have some benefit for mood in women with premenstrual syndrome, the authors write. Results with exercise are "encouraging" but also require more study, they said.