Case-control study, 1989
Does eating carbohydrates help depression during the late luteal phase in women with severe PMS?
Yes. Women with severe PMS significantly increased their calorie and carbohydrate intake during the late luteal phase, and a carbohydrate-rich meal improved their depression and mood symptoms during this time, but not during other cycle phases or in control women.
What they did
They monitored 19 women with severe PMS and 9 control women as inpatients during the early follicular and late luteal phases, measuring mood with the Hamilton Depression Scale and directly measuring all food and nutrient intake.
What they found
During the late luteal phase, the PMS group increased total calories from 1892 +/- 104 to 2395 +/- 93 kcal, with carbohydrate intake rising 24% from meals and 43% from snacks. Hamilton Depression Scale scores rose from 2.0 +/- 0.5 to 21.2 +/- 0.8 in the PMS group but stayed nearly flat (2.1 +/- 0.8 to 2.4 +/- 0.8) in controls. A carbohydrate-rich, protein-poor meal during late luteal phase improved depression, tension, anger, confusion, sadness, fatigue, alertness, and calmness scores (p less than 0.01) but had no effect during the follicular phase or in control women.
What it means for you
Women with severe PMS may naturally increase carbohydrate intake in an attempt to improve their mood through effects on brain serotonin. This suggests diet might help with PMS symptoms. However, the study was small, was done in a hospital where eating is controlled, and may only apply to women with severe PMS.
19
women with severe PMS
1892 to 2395
calorie increase in late luteal phase (kcal)
24% and 43%
carbohydrate increase from meals and snacks
About the study
- Original title
- Effect of nutrient intake on premenstrual depression
- Authors
- Wurtman JJ, Brzezinski A, Wurtman RJ et al.
- Journal
- American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
- Year
- 1989
- Study design
- Case-control study
- Participants
- 19
- What was tested
- Carbohydrate-rich, protein-poor evening test meal during late luteal phase
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0002-9378(89)90671-6
Topics
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