Sarah Boseley in London
PRE-MENSTRUAL syndrome (PMS), often blamed for turning women into murderers and arsonists, is all in the mind, according to new research from Australia.
Psychologists monitored women who said they had PMS, together with two control groups – women who did not claim to suffer and men. They found all three groups were susceptible to mood swings and difficulties.
The researchers suggest women who claim to be suffering from PMS are affected by random depression or irritability triggered by social or health problems. PMS, they conclude, is a myth.
Not so, says the doctor who invented the term 40 years ago, gynaecological endocrinologist Katharina Dalton.
“It is perfectly right that a heck of a lot of women use PMS as an excuse, but that doesn’t mean it does not exist,” says Dalton, who has given evidence in about 50 trials. “I was the first one to get anyone off arson and murder charges on the grounds of PMS. And believe me, those diagnoses were correct.”
Dalton, who founded a PMS clinic in London, says there are more physical symptoms than psychological symptoms in PMS. The problem arises from an inability of the body to use the hormone progesterone properly. Sufferers have a lot of adrenalin, which makes them tense and irritable. Among the problems they experience are headaches, epilepsy and skin disorders.
“About 30% of women have it in a way that is a nuisance and inhibits them socially,” says Dalton. “About 10% need treatment. The proportion of violent criminals among women is smaller than among men, but about half of those tend to be suffering from PMS.” The treatment involves an improved diet and progesterone supplements.
ENDS