Survey study, 1995
Do diet and exercise affect menstrual symptoms?
Yes. During the time before and during your period, higher carbohydrate intake was linked to worse mood and less activity. Lower protein was linked to better mood, and more aerobic exercise was linked to fewer symptoms.
What they did
26 women kept food and exercise diaries for a full menstrual cycle and filled out questionnaires about menstrual symptoms. Doctors checked hormone levels and body temperature to confirm ovulation and menstruation.
What they found
During the premenstrual and menstrual phases, women had more pain, water retention, bad mood, behavior changes, and arousal. Higher carbohydrate intake was linked to worse mood and less activity. Lower protein was linked to better mood. Overeating or dieting was linked to more water retention and other symptoms. More aerobic exercise was linked to less water retention and other symptoms.
What it means for you
Diet and exercise may help manage menstrual symptoms, especially before and during your period. The study only included healthy women with no period complaints, so it may not apply to everyone. It did not test whether changing diet or exercise actually improves symptoms.
26
women studied
About the study
- Original title
- Macronutrient intake, eating habits, and exercise as moderators of menstrual distress in healthy women
- Authors
- Johnson WG, Carr-Nangle RE, Bergeron KC
- Journal
- Psychosomatic medicine
- Year
- 1995
- Study design
- Survey study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1097/00006842-199507000-00003
Topics
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