A Comparison of the Effects of Vitamin E and Vitamin B1 on the Severity and Duration of Pain in Primary Dysmenorrhea

Background & aim: Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as painful menstruation in the absence of any confirmed pelvic disease. Its incidence has been estimated between 50-90% in different communities. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and contraceptives are usually prescribed for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea; however, they lead to several specific complications. Due to the importance of this issue, some studies have been performed on medications with fewer side effects. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic effects of vitamin E and vitamin B1 on pain severity and duration in primary dysmenorrhea. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 90 female students of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, who met the inclusion criteria. At first, the participants, whose pain score of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was less than 40 during their three last menstrual cycles were excluded from the study; then, the rest of the participants were randomly assigned to two groups. The treatment was started by administrating vitamin B1 100mg/day for the first group (vitamin B1 group) and vitamin E 400unit/day for the second group (vitamin E group). Finally, the two groups were compared in terms of the severity and duration of pain in dysmenorrhea. Results: As to the findings, the mean age of the participants was 22.97±3.23 years. There was a significant difference between the pre- and post-treatment periods in terms of pain severity (P < 0.001 & P=0.002, respectively) and pain duration (P=0.001 & P < 0.001, respectively) in both groups; however, no significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the mean of pain severity and duration (P=0.739 & P=0.102, respectively). Conclusion: It is recommended that vitamin E and vitamin B1 be used for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea.