Survey study, 2007
Does eating more soy affect premenstrual symptoms?
Soy intake had no clear effect on premenstrual or menstrual symptoms. Higher soy intake was linked with some symptoms that happen after menstruation (irritability, mood swings), but this is not typical PMS.
What they did
Asked 245 Korean women aged 19 to 49 about their usual soy intake and what symptoms they experienced around their menstrual cycle.
What they found
The average woman ate soy isoflavones equivalent to 37.2 mg per day. Higher soy intake was linked to muscle stiffness, irritability, decreased work efficiency, and mood swings after menstruation. There was no connection between soy intake and premenstrual or menstrual symptoms.
What it means for you
If you have PMS, eating more soy probably won't help with symptoms before your period. Some women reported more irritability and mood changes after their period if they ate more soy, but this is a different pattern. This is a one-time survey, not a test of cause and effect.
245
Women studied
37.2 mg per day
Average soy isoflavone intake
32 years
Average age of participants
About the study
- Original title
- The relationship of soy isoflavone intake and perimenstrual symptoms in Korean women
- Authors
- Jinmo Khil, Hae‐Won Kim
- Journal
- The FASEB Journal
- Year
- 2007
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 245
- What was tested
- None – study of usual soy intake
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.21.6.lb46-a