BOSTON -- Women searching for ways to ward off premenstrual syndrome may be able to find answers as nearby as their local supermarket.

A new study suggests that calcium and vitamin D appear to help women reduce the risk of developing symptoms associated with PMS. The study appears in Monday's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst compared the diets and supplement use of 1,057 women who suffered from PMS to 1,968 women who reported no or minimal premenstrual symptoms.

Researchers said women who consumed four servings or more a day of a dairy product, including milk, were less likely to develop feelings of anxiety, loneliness, irritability, tearfulness and tension.

As many as 8 to 20 percent of women experience symptoms severe enough to meet the definition of premenstrual syndrome, characterized by moderate to severe symptoms that substantially interfere with normal life activities and interpersonal relationships, according to the article.

Vitamin D is readily available in milk, cheese, yogurt and fortified orange juice.

The findings also support earlier studies that calcium seems to help women deal with PMS. But the study goes on to say that vitamin D -- which regulates calcium absorption -- may also be associated with preventing its onset.

Researchers say more studies should be conducted to confirm the findings, and doctors should consider recommending calcium and vitamin D to younger women.

Study Abstract