--- title: Does regular physical activity or high soy intake reduce PMS symptoms? description: Most students had light physical activity and mild PMS symptoms, but the study does not clearly show whether physical activity or soy intake reduced symptoms. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/regular-physical-activity-high-soy-dietary-intake-and-premenstrual-syndrome-pms-2019/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does regular physical activity or high soy intake reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2019 # Does regular physical activity or high soy intake reduce PMS symptoms? Most students had light physical activity and mild PMS symptoms, but the study does not clearly show whether physical activity or soy intake reduced symptoms. The authors note that the relationship remains unclear. Early or limited evidence 59 female students at a vocational high school in Surabaya, Indonesia ## What they did Cross-sectional questionnaire study with 59 female students at a vocational high school in Surabaya. Activity was recalled over 7 days, soy intake was measured from dietary records, and PMS severity was assessed by questionnaire. ## What they found 88.1% had light physical activity levels. Soy intake was moderate at 17.22 to 28.38 portions per month. 71.2% had mild PMS. Among those with light activity, 8.6% experienced moderate PMS. Among those with high soy intake, 8.5% experienced moderate PMS. The authors stated the relationship between these factors remains unclear. ## What it means for you This study suggests a possible link between activity, soy, and PMS but does not prove whether they help reduce symptoms. The main limitations are the small sample size, the cross-sectional design, and lack of a comparison group. The authors themselves note the evidence is relatively limited. 88.1% had light physical activity 71.2% had mild PMS 59 participants ## About the study Original title Regular Physical Activity, High Soy Dietary Intake and Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Symptoms in Young Adult Women: A Descriptive Study Authors Eva Flourentina Kusumawardani, Annis Catur Adi Journal Jurnal Ilmiah Kedokteran Wijaya Kusuma Year 2019 Study design Survey study Participants 59 What was tested Physical activity and soy dietary intake Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.30742/jikw.v8i1.556](https://doi.org/10.30742/jikw.v8i1.556) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)[Adolescents and young people](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-adolescents/) 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, 2025 How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling? Non-randomised trial, 2026 Does video-guided digital menstrual exercise reduce PMS and period pain in adolescent girls? Non-randomised trial, 2026 Does a lifestyle education program reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2025 Is emotional eating linked to PMS in university women? Survey study, 2021 Does exercise and diet affect PMS symptoms in teenagers? Cohort study, 2019 How do exercise, diet and weight affect menstrual problems? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗