--- title: Do PMS symptoms affect how female athletes train and perform? description: Yes. Women with severe PMS were much more likely to change their training schedule. All women reported performance dropped during and before menstruation, wit url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/impact-of-premenstrual-syndrome-symptoms-on-sport-routines-in-nonelite-athlete-2023/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do PMS symptoms affect how female athletes train and perform? Survey study, 2023 # Do PMS symptoms affect how female athletes train and perform? Yes. Women with severe PMS were much more likely to change their training schedule. All women reported performance dropped during and before menstruation, with bigger drops in those with severe symptoms. Early or limited evidence 234 nonelite female athletes participating in summer Olympic sports. ## What they did Researchers asked 234 nonelite female athletes about PMS severity using an online survey and tracked how their training and competitive performance changed around menstruation. ## What they found Among the 234 athletes, 78% had severe PMS. In the severe PMS group, 55% changed their training schedule during menstruation and 61% changed it before menstruation. All women reported that both training and competitive performance dropped during menstruation, with worse performance in the severe PMS group before menstruation. ## What it means for you Severe PMS can disrupt an athlete's training schedule. While all athletes reported performance drops related to menstruation, only those with severe symptoms were likely to change their training plans. We cannot tell from this study whether symptoms actually caused the performance drop or if other factors were involved. 234 Athletes surveyed 78% With severe PMS 55% Changed training during menstruation ## About the study Original title Impact of Premenstrual Syndrome Symptoms on Sport Routines in Nonelite Athlete Participants of Summer Olympic Sports Authors Prado RCR, Willett HN, Takito MY et al. Journal International journal of sports physiology and performance Year 2023 Study design Survey study What was tested None. This was an observational survey. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2022-0218](https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2022-0218) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Athletes and sport](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-athletes/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Systematic review, 2023 How common are menstrual cycle problems and PMS or PMDD in female athletes? Survey study, 2024 Can period-related symptoms predict whether female cyclists manipulate their periods? Survey study, 2022 Do female athletes get enough knowledge and support about their period? Survey study, 2022 Do menstrual cycles and birth control affect female athletes' training and performance? Survey study, 2020 Do athletic students have less PMS and period pain than non-athletic students? Survey study, 2019 What lifestyle and sleep habits are linked to PMS in teenage girls? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗