Those who eat more of foods such as spinach and fortified cereal have about a quarter lower risk of PMS, according to the study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Interestingly B vitamin supplements do not seem to have the same effect.

Researchers also warned that taking the vitamin, that includes thiamine and riboflavin, is not the only thing to do to resolve the problem. Vitamin B works in conjunction with other health habits that women have, to bring the risk of PMS down. Nevertheless, according to Elizabeth Bertone-Johnson, associate professor of public health at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, women who suffer from PMS could find it beneficial to add thiamine and riboflavin to their diet.

It's relatively easy to eat this much thiamine and riboflavin a day, Bertone-Johnson said. That's about two to three bowls of fortified cereal, three quarters of a cup of dried beans, or about three ounces of red meat, for thiamine.

Severe PMS -- which affects about one in six women -- is sometimes treated with either birth control pills or antidepressants, Bertone-Johnson, who co-authored the study, told Reuters Health.

Reducing the chance of PMS through diet may be an alternative to some of these treatments, which are expensive and can have side effects, she said.
For women who don't already have PMS, Bertone-Johnson suggests just eating a healthy diet based on a wide variety of foods.