---
title: Is premenstrual tension caused by electrolyte and water imbalances?
description: The researchers propose that premenstrual distress and tension are both caused by changes in electrolyte and water balance due to ovarian hormones, but the ab
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-electrolyte-therapy-of-premenstrual-distress-1941/
---

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- Is premenstrual tension caused by electrolyte and water imbalances?

Study, 1941

# Is premenstrual tension caused by electrolyte and water imbalances?

The researchers propose that premenstrual distress and tension are both caused by changes in electrolyte and water balance due to ovarian hormones, but the abstract does not describe whether this treatment worked.

 Early or limited evidence

Women experiencing premenstrual symptoms, ranging from mild distress to more severe tension.

## What they did

Examined women with symptoms before menstruation and proposed a theory about what causes them.

## What they found

Women experience headache, emotional instability, irritability, belly bloating, nausea and vomiting, increased sexual desire, itching, and vulva swelling before menstruation. The researchers propose that both mild premenstrual distress and more severe premenstrual tension are caused by the same thing: changes in the balance of electrolytes and water in the body due to ovarian hormone cycles.

## What it means for you

The study suggests a possible cause for premenstrual symptoms based on electrolyte and water shifts during the cycle. The main limitation is that the abstract only presents the theory and does not describe whether treating electrolyte imbalance actually helped women.

## About the study

Original title THE ELECTROLYTE THERAPY OF PREMENSTRUAL DISTRESS Authors J.P. Greenhill Journal JAMA Year 1941 Study design Study What was tested Electrolyte therapy (proposed as a treatment based on the theory). Read the paper [doi.org/10.1001/jama.1941.02820330008003](https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1941.02820330008003)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)

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.

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