Good news for the millions of women who suffer the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) every month: mood swings, tension, headaches, cramping. A study of 400 premenopausal American women sponsored by the makers of Tums, a popular antacid and calcium supplement, showed a 50 percent reduction of PMS symptoms within three months after beginning daily calcium supplements.

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Many PMS symptoms resemble those of calcium deficiency, says Susan Thys-Jacobs, an endocrinologist at St. Lukes Roosevelt Hospital in New York City.


Though no one fully understands what causes PMS, Thys-Jacobs hypothesizes that for many women the problem may signal an underlying calcium shortage.


In a study of 466 PMS sufferers, published in the August 1998 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Thys-Jacobs and her colleagues found that calcium supplements of 1,200 milligrams per day -- the calcium equivalent of four glasses of milk -- significantly eased PMS symptoms.


Calcium was no instant cure; the results only kicked in after about two months of use. But by the third month of treatment, women taking the supplements had only about half the PMS symptoms of those who took a placebo. The only symptoms calcium didn't curb, says Thys-Jacobs, were fatigue and insomnia.


Thys-Jacobs recommends that women concentrate first on boosting the calcium in their diets. But if you can't stomach that much yogurt or tofu, go ahead and take a supplement. Aim for a total calcium intake of 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams per day, and be sure you take the supplements along with food so they're properly absorbed, says Thys-Jacobs.