Non-randomised trial, 1993
Does dietary calcium and manganese affect menstrual cycle symptoms?
Yes. Higher calcium intake reduced mood, concentration, behavior symptoms, pain during menstruation, and water retention before the period. The study was very small and done in a lab setting.
What they did
10 women with normal menstrual cycles lived in a metabolic study for 169 days. They ate different amounts of calcium (587 or 1336 mg per day) and manganese (1.0 or 5.6 mg per day) in a double-blind, Latin-square design.
What they found
Higher calcium intake reduced mood, concentration and behavior symptoms generally. It reduced pain during menstruation and reduced water retention during the premenstrual phase. Lower manganese increased mood and pain symptoms during the premenstrual phase, even with higher calcium.
What it means for you
Calcium and manganese may affect menstrual symptoms, but this is a very small study done in a controlled laboratory setting. Results may not apply to how women eat at home.
10
women in study
169
days of observation
1336 mg
higher calcium dose per day
About the study
- Original title
- Dietary calcium and manganese effects on menstrual cycle symptoms
- Authors
- Penland JG, Johnson PE
- Journal
- American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
- Year
- 1993
- Study design
- Non-randomised trial
- What was tested
- Dietary calcium (587 or 1336 mg per day) and manganese (1.0 or 5.6 mg per day) in different combinations
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s0002-9378(11)90775-3
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