A bowl or three a day could see PMS symptoms disappear. Photo: Corbis, Clinton Hussey
If you suffer from PMS you may have tried all sorts of things to help relieve the symptoms. Experts believe around nine out of ten women are affected to some extent or another, with up to 10 less likely to suffer from PMS.
The researchers studied the diets of more than 3,000 women over the course of 10 years, during which 1,050 women developed moderate to severe PMS symptoms such as mood swings, irritability, lack of concentration, abdominal bloating and headaches.
But the women who ate the highest amounts of thiamine and riboflavin a day (1.9mg of thiamine and 2.5mg of riboflavin) were less likely to suffer the dreaded monthly symptoms.
The news may be particularly welcome for women who get moderate to severe PMS but don't want to risk the side-effects associated with drug-based PMS treatments such as the pill or antidepressants.
So how do you get the right amount of B vits in your diet? If you like breakfast cereal, it's easy - just two to three bowls of fortified cereal will provide the right amounts of both thiamine (vitamin B1) and riboflavin (vitamin B2), say the researchers.
Other foods rich in thiamine include Quorn, Marmite, grilled bacon, sunflower seeds and peanuts, whereas riboflavin-rich sources include Marmite, liver, almonds and goat's cheese.
Have you found a remedy that works for PMS?