---
title: Does regular aerobic exercise help reduce premenstrual symptoms?
description: Yes. Women who exercised regularly had fewer premenstrual symptoms, especially pain and water retention, compared to sedentary women. Exercise also lowered so
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/exercise-training-effects-on-premenstrual-distress-and-ovarian-steroid-hormones-2007/
---

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- Does regular aerobic exercise help reduce premenstrual symptoms?

Cohort study, 2007

# Does regular aerobic exercise help reduce premenstrual symptoms?

Yes. Women who exercised regularly had fewer premenstrual symptoms, especially pain and water retention, compared to sedentary women. Exercise also lowered some hormone levels related to premenstrual symptoms.

 Moderate study design

20 women who exercised regularly, 34 sedentary women, and 14 sedentary women in the exercise training program

## What they did

Researchers compared 20 women who exercised regularly with 34 sedentary women, tracking symptoms daily throughout one complete menstrual cycle and measuring hormone levels in urine. Then 14 sedentary women did 24 weeks of moderate aerobic exercise, and researchers measured their symptoms and hormones before and after.

## What they found

Women who exercised had lower pain symptoms and lower estrone glucuronide (a hormone) compared to sedentary women. After 24 weeks of exercise, the sedentary women showed reduced overall premenstrual distress, especially lower water retention and pain scores. Exercise also lowered both measured hormone levels. In both groups, higher progesterone-related hormone levels were linked to loneliness, crying, and skin blemishes.

## What it means for you

Regular aerobic exercise may help reduce premenstrual symptoms, especially if your symptoms are related to progesterone changes. The benefit may come from exercise lowering hormone levels during the premenstrual phase. The studies were small and focused on specific hormones.

24 weeks

Exercise training duration

14

Women in exercise training program

20

Regular exercisers compared

## About the study

Original title Exercise training effects on premenstrual distress and ovarian steroid hormones Authors Stoddard JL, Dent CW, Shames L et al. Journal European journal of applied physiology Year 2007 Study design Cohort study Participants 34 What was tested 24-week moderate aerobic exercise program Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0313-7](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-006-0313-7)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)

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