Does lemon balm help with PMS symptoms?
•Last Updated:
Research in Iran indicates that lemon balm may reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms more effectively than a placebo, but the studies are of low quality and were limited to young Iranian women. More rigorous research in more diverse populations is necessary to confirm these findings.
Last Updated:May 16, 2025
Several randomized controlled trials in Iran have looked at lemon balm’s effectiveness for the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), finding greater reductions in PMS symptoms with lemon balm than with a placebo. However, the existing research is of fairly low quality, and all the trials have been in young Iranian women; higher-quality research in a broader population is needed.[1][2][3][4]
1.^Akbarzadeh M, Dehghani M, Moshfeghy Z, Emamghoreishi M, Tavakoli P, Zare NEffect of Melissa officinalis Capsule on the Intensity of Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms in High School Girl Students.Nurs Midwifery Stud.(2015-Jun)
2.^Comparison of the Effect of Melissa officinalis Capsule and Care Educational Programs on the Intensity of Physical, Mental and Social Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome in High School Female StudentsInt J Women's Health and Reprod Sci.(2018)
3.^The efficacy of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) alone and combined with lemon balm—Nepeta menthoides on premenstrual syndrome and quality of life among students: A randomized controlled trialJ Herbal Med.(Sept 2016)
4.^Heydari N, Dehghani M, Emamghoreishi M, Akbarzadeh MEffect of Melissa officinalis capsule on the mental health of female adolescents with premenstrual syndrome: a clinical trial studyInt J Adolesc Med Health.(2018 Jan 25)