Survey study, 2016
Are low vitamin D levels or certain dairy-related genes linked to premenstrual symptoms?
Some women with low vitamin D are more likely to experience clumsiness and confusion before their period. A genetic variation affecting how your body digests dairy is also linked to more clumsiness but fewer cramps.
What they did
Researchers studied 964 women aged 20-29 in Toronto. They took blood samples to measure vitamin D levels and tested DNA for a gene variant (LCT) related to lactose intolerance. Women answered questions about their premenstrual symptoms.
What they found
Women with deficient vitamin D were 2.63 times more likely to experience clumsiness and 2.57 times more likely to experience confusion compared to women with adequate vitamin D. Women with insufficient vitamin D were 1.82 times more likely to experience confusion. Women with a certain LCT gene variant (CC) were 2.12 times more likely to have clumsiness but about half as likely to have cramps. Vitamin D was not linked to acne, bloating, mood swings, fatigue, headache, anxiety, insomnia, nausea, depression, increased appetite, changes in sexual desire, or wanting to be alone.
What it means for you
Low vitamin D may contribute to clumsiness and confusion as part of PMS, and genes affecting how you digest dairy may also matter. However, this was an observational study, so we cannot know if low vitamin D causes these symptoms or if other factors link them together.
964
women studied, aged 20-29 in Toronto
2.63
times more likely to have clumsiness with low vitamin D
2.57
times more likely to have confusion with low vitamin D
About the study
- Original title
- Association Between LCT ‐13910 C>T Genotype and Plasma 25‐Hydroxyvitamin D with Premenstrual Symptoms
- Authors
- Alicia Caroline Jarosz, Ohood Alharbi, Ahmed El‐Sohemy
- Journal
- The FASEB Journal
- Year
- 2016
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 964
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.127.8
Topics
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