--- title: Do women with PMS eat more food before their period? | Niyora description: Yes. Women with PMS ate significantly more energy and carbohydrates during the luteal phase (before their period) compared to other times. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/influence-of-premenstrual-syndrome-on-energy-and-nutrient-intake-2012/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with PMS eat more food before their period? Survey study, 2012 # Do women with PMS eat more food before their period? Yes. Women with PMS ate significantly more energy and carbohydrates during the luteal phase (before their period) compared to other times. Early or limited evidence 92 female nutrition students in Tehran, Iran ## What they did Tracked eating patterns in 92 female nutrition students across different phases of their menstrual cycle and compared women with and without PMS symptoms. ## What they found 58.7% of women had PMS. In women with PMS, energy and carbohydrate intake was significantly higher during the luteal phase (before menstruation) compared to the follicular phase (after menstruation). Women without PMS showed no difference in eating between these phases. ## What it means for you Women with PMS eat more before their period. It is unclear if this is a symptom of PMS, a way the body copes, or something else. The study included only nutrition students in Iran. 92 women in the study 58.7% had PMS symptoms ## About the study Original title Influence of premenstrual syndrome on energy and nutrient intake Authors Shaghayegh Tabarroki, Zahra Kargarnovin, Zohreh Amiri et al. Journal Advances in nursing and midwifery Year 2012 Study design Survey study Participants 92 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.22037/anm.v21i75.3393](https://doi.org/10.22037/anm.v21i75.3393) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Ginkgo biloba](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ginkgo/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/) 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 Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Case-control study, 2018 Do women with PMDD crave different foods than healthy women? Review, 2001 What causes PMS and PMDD, and how are they treated? Randomised trial, 2022 Does PMS50 supplementation reduce psychological symptoms of premenstrual syndrome? Randomised trial, 2021 Does hypnotherapy reduce pain and emotional distress in women with PMDD? Randomised trial, 2017 Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗