4/12/2005 The Guardian - Taking vitamin E eases the severe period painsthat affect thousands of teenage girls, research suggested yesterday.

The condition, known as dysmenorrhea, can disrupt the girls' lives, buttrials in Iran found that girls given daily doses of about 200mg beforeperiods started and during the early days of menstruation hadsignificantly less pain, spread over a shorter time.

They also experienced less blood loss, according to a report in theBritish Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Researchers at Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, gave vitamin E to 137girls aged 15-17. A similar number received dummy treatments over fourconsecutive cycles. Those taking the vitamin reported far less use ofpainkillers and those with the most severe pains reported the biggestdecreases in intensity. The researchers said vitamin E would particularlybenefit adolescents because of the absence of significant side effects.

Peter Bowen-Simpkins, of the Royal College of Obstetricians andGynaecologists, said: "This may be a breakthrough in a condition affectingthousands of young girls."

-James Meikle