Does eating an inflammatory diet make PMS symptoms worse?

This study investigated the prevalence and severity of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) among adult females and its relationship with the dietary inflammatory index (DII), which measures the inflammatory potential of a person's diet. The study employed a cross-sectional design, with participants recruited through convenience sampling. A structured questionnaire, including the Arabic Premenstrual Syndrome Scale, was used to assess the prevalence and severity of PMS. A self-administered food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intakes and depict the DII of the participant's intakes. A total of 305 adult females participated; of these, 93% reported at least one PMS symptom, with a prevalence of 33.7% for PMS, primarily characterized by mild to moderate symptoms. The mean DII score was 2.52 ± 6.28, indicating a generally proinflammatory diet among participants. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that higher DII scores, particularly in Tertile 3, were significantly associated with increased PMS severity ( p =0.001). These findings highlight the importance of dietary modifications that aim to reduce inflammation as a potential strategy for mitigating the severity of PMS. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies to establish causality and explore the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory dietary interventions in managing PMS symptoms.

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