--- title: Does yoga help with PMS symptoms? | Niyora description: This text only gives the background and reasoning for a yoga trial. It does not include the trial's actual methods or results, so no answer about whether yoga url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-effect-of-yoga-on-womens-premenstrual-syndrome-a-randomized-controlled-2017/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does yoga help with PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 2017 # Does yoga help with PMS symptoms? This text only gives the background and reasoning for a yoga trial. It does not include the trial's actual methods or results, so no answer about whether yoga worked can be given from this excerpt. Early or limited evidence Not stated in this excerpt; the title indicates women with PMS. ## What they did The title says this was a randomized controlled trial testing yoga for premenstrual syndrome (PMS), but the text provided is only the introduction. It explains why PMS is a problem and why yoga might help, citing other researchers' work. It does not state how many women took part, what yoga practice was used, or how long the trial lasted. ## What they found No results are given in this excerpt. It only reports background facts from other studies, such as PMS affecting work performance, relationships, and social life, and mentions that yoga has been linked to lower heart rate, blood pressure, and anxiety in earlier Indian studies. None of these numbers are from this trial itself. ## What it means for you Nothing can be concluded about whether yoga helps PMS from this excerpt alone, because the trial's own methods and findings are missing. The main limit here is that this is only the introduction section, not the full study. 27.5% Lower work performance in PMS (cited from another study) 23.1% Impaired working relationships (cited from another study) 41% Social relationship problems (cited from another study) ## About the study Original title The Effect of Yoga on Women’s Premenstrual Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial Authors Mahin Kamalifard, Abbas Yavari, Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi et al. Journal International Journal of Women s Health and Reproduction Sciences Year 2017 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Yoga (described generally as physical postures, breathing, and meditation practices), as referenced in the trial title. Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.15296/ijwhr.2017.37](https://doi.org/10.15296/ijwhr.2017.37) Original abstract IntroductionWomen with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) show majority of symptoms, particularly during luteal phase, regularly every month.These symptoms are classified into 3 emotional (EM), physical (PHY) and behavioral (BE) categories (1).The common symptoms of PMS are: bloating, breast tenderness, headache, frequent urination, loss of appetite, insomnia, irritability, depression, lack of energy and increased or decreased of libido (1,2).Andrew et al (3) have shown that patients with PMS have lower work performance (27.5%), impaired working relationships (23.1%), disputation with their husbands (8.82%), relationship problems with their children (6%) and social relationship problems (41%).PMS interferes with the life of patients directly by treatment expenditures and indirectly by inefficient working hours, absenteeism and productivity (4) and requires cure and management (5).Routinely, women with PMS use pharmacological (1) and non-pharmacological approaches (6) to decrease the severity of PMS symptoms.Whereas, prescribed medications (alprazolam, progesterone, fluoxetine and gonadotropin releasing hormone) have shown side effects such as exhaustion, insomnia, headaches, menstrual dysfunction, decreased sexual ability, nausea and vomiting (1,7-9).Recently, yoga as a safe treatment has also been introduced (10).Yoga is a Sanskrit word, meaning connection of the mind, body, emotions, logic and attention to the action.Yoga exercise is composed of physical (Asana), breathing (Pranayama) and mental (Pratt Hara) practices, resulting in health, relaxation and positive awareness.Yoga stretching practices with deep breathing and meditation strengthens muscles and protects the spine and joints of body (11).Evidences indicated that physical and mental health benefits of yoga occur through negative moderation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in association with sympathetic nervous system (SNS).Yoga exercise, negatively, via vagal nerves, regulates secretion of hormones (cortisol, glucose, plasma ҆ s renin, epinephrine and norepinephrine) into the bloodstream which are responsible for body functions (10).Yoga reduces the negative effects of induced stress to immune system by regulating positively the adjustment of immunoglobulin A (12).Additionally, yoga exercise reduces harmful inflammatory secretions, which make women with PMS, comfortable.Studies in India have shown positive impacts of yoga exercise on women with PMS on decreasing heart beats, blood pressure and anxiety (6,13). Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[Mindfulness and meditation](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-mindfulness/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Anxiolytics and other psychotropics](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-anxiolytics/)[Work and productivity](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-work/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/) 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? Survey study, 2025 Can a plant-based supplement reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2025 What is premenstrual syndrome and how can it be managed in adolescent girls? Survey study, 2024 How do hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle affect gut health and mood? Survey study, 2020 Can teaching about yoga techniques improve girls' knowledge about managing PMS? Survey study, 2026 Does exercise help college women with period problems and mental health? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗