Survey study, 2018
Does vitamin D or calcium level affect PMS symptoms and menstrual bleeding?
Calcium level is linked to heavier menstrual bleeding and irritability, but vitamin D level does not appear linked to PMS symptoms overall.
What they did
Cross-sectional study of 897 high school girls from northeastern Iran. Researchers measured serum vitamin D and calcium levels and compared these to PMS symptoms and menstrual bleeding patterns using questionnaires.
What they found
59.8% had normal calcium, 27.1% had low calcium, and 13.1% had high calcium. Menstrual flow differed significantly between the three calcium groups. An association was found between calcium, menstrual blood loss, and irritability. No significant association was found between vitamin D levels and PMS symptoms overall.
What it means for you
Calcium may play a role in menstrual bleeding and irritability, but this study did not find vitamin D linked to PMS. More research is needed on whether calcium supplementation helps PMS. Large sample but observational only.
59.8%
Girls with normal calcium level
27.1%
Girls with low calcium
13.1%
Girls with high calcium
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual disorders and premenstrual symptoms in adolescents: prevalence and relationship to serum calcium and vitamin D concentrations
- Authors
- Bahrami A, Bahrami-Taghanaki H, Afkhamizadeh M et al.
- Journal
- Journal of obstetrics and gynaecology : the journal of the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
- Year
- 2018
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 897
- What was tested
- None (observational study)
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/01443615.2018.1434764
Topics
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