Non-randomised trial, 2025
Do cashew nuts help reduce PMS symptoms by increasing serotonin?
Women who ate 70 grams of cashew nuts daily for 2 weeks showed increases in serotonin and reductions in PMS symptoms compared to women who did not eat them. The sample was small and lasted only 2 weeks, so we need more research to know if this works long-term.
What they did
Quasi-experimental study with control group. 42 adolescents with PMS. The intervention group ate 70 grams of cashew nuts per day for 2 weeks starting on day 14 of their menstrual cycle. The control group did not eat cashew nuts. Serotonin was measured from saliva samples, and PMS symptoms were measured with a questionnaire before and after.
What they found
The cashew nut group's serotonin increased from 158.91 ng/mL to 250.43 ng/mL. Their PMS symptom scores decreased from 26.57 to 17.38. In contrast, the control group's serotonin decreased from 123.7 ng/mL to 117.67 ng/mL, and their PMS symptoms increased from 27.8 to 28.23. The difference between groups was statistically significant (P<0.001).
What it means for you
Eating cashew nuts may help reduce PMS symptoms and increase serotonin. However, the study included only 42 adolescents, lasted just 2 weeks, did not randomly assign people to groups, and used a very small sample, so we cannot be certain this works for all women or longer-term.
70 grams/day
cashew nuts dose
2 weeks
duration of intervention
158 to 250 ng/mL
serotonin increase in intervention group
About the study
- Original title
- Effect of cashew nut consumption on salivary serotonin levels in adolescents with premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Dian P. HASBA, Aryadi Arsyad, Elizabet Catherine Jusuf
- Journal
- Gazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche
- Year
- 2025
- Study design
- Non-randomised trial
- Participants
- 42
- What was tested
- 70 grams of cashew nuts daily for 2 weeks on days 14-28 of menstrual cycle
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.23736/s0393-3660.24.05735-8
Topics
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