ost people know calcium is the source of strong bones and healthy teeth, but a new study also has shown that it's a highly effective treatment for the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS affects up to 75 percent of women each month during the two weeks prior to menstruation. Symptoms may be mild or severe and include mood swings, depression, anxiety, anger, crying spells, headache, fatigue, breast tenderness, food cravings, cramping and all-over aches and pains. Conducted by GlaxoSmithKline at 12 research centers around the country, a recent study found that women who took 1,200 milligrams of calcium each day saw their PMS symptoms fall by 52 percent. Twenty-nine percent recorded a 75 percent improvement. The women kept track of 17 PMS symptoms every day for three months. Improvement was seen in all categories of symptoms, from mood swings to bloating and backache. While there are more than 300 different PMS treatments available, researchers said the calcium supplement provided symptom relief significantly better than that of any other dietary supplement. One final bit of good news -- the cost is only about $5 a month and helps prevent osteoporosis at the same time. © Your HealthStyle, 2002.