text_1: Study: Fatty acids can help ease PMS symptoms
text_2: The story didn’t even report which symptoms improved, or even a list of what was being measured. There are so many symptoms associated with PMS — ranging from physical to behavioral — that it’s important to know which symptoms they are talking about. Studies of PMS are notorious for showing a strong placebo effect, but we can’t tell whether taking the supplement adds much benefit. There was also no discussion of cost and no independent expert perspective. Consumers spend millions of dollars on supplements, and these supplements are not well regulated. Any story about benefits runs the risk of sending people to their wallets, and they should be particularly cautious. Pre-menstrual syndrome, which is the butt of many jokes, is a severe problem for a small minority of women and can cause cyclic symptoms: bloating, fatigue, mood swings and headache. While only a minority has severe symptoms, many women have some of these. Journalists have an additional responsibility to provide context and caution when they report on claims of benefit from an unregulated substance for a huge population.