It's no longer a secret: sometimes our mind can be the most effective doctor we have. Of course, not always. How wonderful would it be if we could cure ourselves without side effects, just with the power of our brain? But it happens more often than we think. What if I told you that for the premenstrual syndrome, that annoying mix of symptoms that afflicts millions of women, could this be the most effective solution?
A recent study discovered something surprising: placebo pills (yes, the ones that contain no active ingredient and which are presented as such) reduced PMS symptoms by 79%, significantly outperforming traditional drugs. The revelation, which sounds almost like a mockery to those who have tried everything against pain, mood swings and other ailments, opens a window towards safer and paradoxically more effective treatments.
Premenstrual Syndrome, the breakthrough of conscious placebo
A team of researchers from the Faculty of Psychology of theUniversity of Basel in Switzerland conducted a study that shakes the foundations of the treatment of premenstrual syndrome. In a study involving 150 Swiss women with an average age of 25, the group that received placebo pills with an explanation (knowing they were placebos) saw a 79,3% reduction in symptom intensity. This is simply astonishing when you consider that women who continued with traditional drug treatments only saw a 33% reduction. Do we realize? Sugar pills that beat drugs developed in laboratories with years of research behind them.
I study, published in the magazine BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine, has shown that these “conscious placebos” (OLP, Open-Label Placebo) not only reduce the intensity of symptoms, but They also reduce the interference of these in daily life by 82,5%. I wonder how something so simple can be so effective. Yet, it is precisely this simplicity that could revolutionize the approach to a condition that affects nearly one in two women.
An alternative without side effects
Conventional treatments for the premenstrual syndrome include drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and hormonal agents such as oral contraceptives. All aim to correct what is presumed to be the underlying cause: an inadequate physiological response to hormonal fluctuations. The problem? The side effects: dizziness, weight gain, nausea, and depression cause many women to abandon their therapies.
This is where the conscious placebo shows its full potential. In the study, only four women in the placebo groups reported non-serious adverse events (headache and gastrointestinal disturbances) after three weeks of treatment. And after six weeks? Zero side effects. Nothing. Nada. Compare this to the list of contraindications of traditional drugs and you will understand why this discovery is truly noteworthy (and It's not the first of its kind!).
Is the future of medicine in the mind?
This study raises profound questions about the role of the mind in healing. Isn't this yet another confirmation that we have underestimated the power of our brain? The most surprising thing is that this "magic" works even when we know perfectly well that there is no active ingredient. It is as if our body says: "Okay, you are giving me permission to heal, so I will do it".
I wonder how many other conditions could benefit from similar approaches. How many other pills, with their side effects and costs, could be replaced by simpler and safer interventions? premenstrual syndrome This could just be the tip of the iceberg.
Please investigate! We want more studies and research on the topic.
