Intake of dietary fat and fat subtypes and risk of premenstrual syndrome in the Nurses' Health Study II

Relationships between Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Diet Composition, Dietary Patterns and Eating Behaviors

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a disorder between gynecology and psychiatry which includes cognitive, affective, and somatic symptoms from mild to severe. The most severe form of PMS is premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) and it is considered a form of depressive disorder. An association between diet composition and the occurrence of PMS and its severity have been suggested. As such, this manuscript discusses the relationships between diet composition, dietary patterns and eating behaviors, and PMS. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were searched for related studies up to 18 January 2024. A text search with the following keywords singly or in combination was conducted: "Premenstrual syndrome", "Nutrition", "Diet composition", "Dietary patterns", and "Eating behaviors". Studies published so far showed that low intake of simple carbohydrates, fats, salt, and alcohol, and high of fresh, unprocessed foods rich in B vitamins, vitamin D, zinc, calcium, and omega-3 fatty acids may help prevent the onset of PMS and reduce the severity of its symptoms. However, further studies are needed to formulate definitive recommendations for the use of vitamins, micronutrients and other dietary ingredients supplementation in women with PMS to improve functioning, overall well-being, and physical health. Large, randomized, double-blind clinical trials across diverse populations are necessary to formulate clear recommendations for supplementation in women with PMS.

Effects of a Healthy Diet on Reducing Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome and Improving Quality of Life among Omani Adolescents: A Randomized Controlled Open-Label Trial

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) continues to impact the health outcomes and emotional well-being of reproductive-age women, globally. Several studies have provided conflicting evidence concerning the role of dietary approaches in improving PMS symptoms. Accordingly, this study aimed to evaluate the possible influence of a healthy diet and motivational strategies on PMS symptoms and health-related quality of life among Omani adolescents. This open-label, randomized, prospective controlled trial was conducted at two randomly selected secondary schools, in Al Seeb Willayah, in Muscat region. Adolescents with PMS symptoms, who were in grade 10 or 11, aged 16 years or above, had regular menstrual cycles, and were not known to have psychiatric disorder were included in this study. Participants in the intervention group received an individual face-to-face dietary consultation and motivational phone consultation. The health outcomes, including the PMS symptoms in both groups, and quality of life, were recorded using the Daily Record of Severity of Problems questionnaire (DRSP) and the 14-item Self-Reporting-Based Perceived Stress Scale tools, respectively. The primary outcome was the difference in the mean premenstrual symptom scores between the two groups. Secondary outcomes included the quality of life and stress levels of participants. The study period was from 1 February and ended 30 June 2021. SPSS was used to analyze the data, and intention-to-treat analysis was utilized. A total of 72 adolescents with PMS were randomized into intervention and control groups (n = 36 each). Both groups were similar at baseline (p-value > 0.05). No significant association was found between a healthy diet and PMS symptoms (p-value > 0.05). In addition, no significant association was found between a healthy diet and quality of life at follow-up (p-value = 0.216). The outcomes of this study refuted any possible relationships between a healthy diet and PMS symptoms. Accordingly, dietary consultations may not facilitate the clinical management of PMS symptoms in adolescent females.

The prevalence, risk factors and lifestyle patterns of Jordanian females with premenstrual syndrome: a cross-sectional study

Aim

The study aims to assess factors associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and the frequency of using painkillers to relieve premenstrual pain.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study of 1580 premenopausal women. An online self-administered questionnaire consists of sociodemographics, and the diagnostic criteria using the Arabic Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (A-PMS).

Results

The prevalence of PMS among Jordanian females was 94%. Moreover, a significant correlation was found between several factors, including BMI, family history of PMS, smoking, and herbal tea consumption and the psychological, physical and behavioral symptoms of PMS. Furthermore, analgesic use for pain relief and food cravings were significantly associated with psychological, physical and behavioral PMS symptoms.

Conclusion

PMS is highly prevalent and affects women in different life aspects.

Factors associated with the severity of premenstrual symptoms in women with central obesity: a cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a common condition that affects social and psychological well-being of women. The risk of PMS is higher among obese women. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that influence the severity of PMS in women with central obesity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was performed on 30-50 year-old women with abdominal obesity (waist circumference > 80 cm). The following data were collected: demographic data, anthropometric measurements, premenstrual symptoms screening tools, semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, 42-item depression, anxiety, and stress questionnaire (DASS-42), as well as serum vitamin D, and renal function tests.

RESULTS

A total of 139 women (mean age of 41.40 ± 7.39 years old) participated in the study. The prevalence of mild, moderate and severe premenstrual symptoms was 38.7% (55/142), 31.7% (45/142) and 27.5% (39/142), respectively. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of anthropometric measurements and energy-adjusted nutrient intakes (p > 0.05). There was a significant relationship between moderate PMS and energy-adjusted saturated fatty acid (SFA) (p = .018, OR = .010 and 95% CI for OR: < .001 and .452), and energy-adjusted riboflavin (p = .042, OR = .005, 95% CI for OR: < .001 and .821), and between severe PMS and age (p = .034, OR = .906, 95% CI for OR: .826 and .993), and energy-adjusted monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake (p = .041, OR = 23.789, 95% CI for OR: 1.138 and 497.294).

CONCLUSION

High intakes of MUFA and younger age were associated with a greater severity of PMS, while riboflavin intake was associated with reduced PMS severity.

Impact of nutritional diet therapy on premenstrual syndrome

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is one of the most common disorders faced by women of reproductive age. More than 200 symptoms of varying severity associated with PMS have been identified. Because of the broad spectrum of action of PMS and its impact on quality of life, symptom relief is the main challenge of treating PMS and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). The review aims to analyze and identify the potential impact of dietary and nutritional therapies on PMS and, respectively, for its better management. The study was conducted by accessing Internet databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus and using relevant keywords such as PMS, symptoms, dietary patterns (DPs), macro and micronutrients, and supplements. The results showed that diet is an essential modulating factor in reducing and managing PMS symptoms. But research on the actual effect of foods and nutrients on PMS is sparse, sporadic, and studied with insufficient scientific rigor. No correlations were identified between the consumption of macronutrients and PMS: protein, fat, carbohydrates, and fiber, but the effectiveness of micronutrients, especially calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, B vitamins, and herbal supplements, was demonstrated. Researchers remain unanimous that the evidence is insufficient and limited to support their use as an effective treatment. Nevertheless, the results could contribute to providing quality information to help women and girls make evidence-based decisions regarding premenstrual health and the adoption of dietary and nutritional therapies.

Dietary, Psychological and Lifestyle Factors Associated with Premenstrual Symptoms

Purpose

To measure the associations of diet, psycological distress, and lifestyle factors with premenstrual symptoms (PMSx) in women in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Patients and Methods

An interview-based, cross-sectional study was conducted on 1831 women aged 18-50 years seen in primary healthcare centers and teaching institutes in Riyadh from December 2015 to June 2016. Question topics included sociodemographics, physical activity, smoking, and dietary habits information. PMSx were assessed using a symptom checklist with 6 domains: anxiety/mood changes; abdominal/back/joint pain; increased appetite/weight gain, breast pain/tenderness, severe headache, and ≥3 PMS symptoms (any). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to provide adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for factors associated with each PMSx domain.

Results

Except for breast pain, drinking >5 cups of Arabic coffee was associated with increased odds of anxiety/mood [aOR 2.44 (95% CI 1.44, 4.12)], pain [1.83 (1.13, 2.98)], appetite/weight gain [1.66 (1.10, 2.50)], headache [1.57 (1.00, 2.56)] and ≥3 symptoms [1.50 (1.07, 2.11)]. A significant association was noted between sugar intake and anxiety/mood symptoms [1.53 (1.07, 2.19)] and abdominal/back pain symptoms [1.84 (1.17, 2.88)]. Increased severity of psychological distress was associated with all symptom domains: anxiety/mood [2.75 (1.92, 3.94)]; pain [1.45 (0.92, 2.28)]; appetite/weight gain [2.01 (1.53, 2.65)]; breast pain [2.19 (1.68, 2.88)]; headache [1.86 (1.37, 2.54)] and ≥3 symptoms [3.52 (2.49, 4.95)]. Low physical activity was significantly associated with odds of breast pain symptoms [1.29 (1.04, 1.59)]. Smokers were 3.41 (1.19, 9.77) times as likely to report any ≥3 symptoms compared to nonsmokers.

Conclusion

Several potentially modifiable factors, such as diet and stress, were positively associated with PMSx. Thus, we suggest that increasing women's awareness of healthy lifestyles, particularly diet and stress reduction, may help to reduce the occurrence of premenstrual symptoms.

A Pilot Randomized Treatment-Controlled Trial Comparing Vitamin B6 with Broad-Spectrum Micronutrients for Premenstrual Syndrome

Objective: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects 20%-30% of women but current medical treatments are limited in their efficacy. The objective of this study was to compare efficacy of a broad-spectrum micronutrient formula (consisting mainly of minerals and vitamins) to a single vitamin (B6) for treatment of PMS, for which B6 has already been shown to be efficacious. Methods: This double-blind, randomized, treatment-controlled trial allocated 78 (72 completed) regularly menstruating women with PMS to consume micronutrients or vitamin B6 (80 mg/day) daily following a two-cycle baseline period, for three menstrual cycles. The primary outcome measure, Daily Record of Severity of Problems (DRSP), established PMS as well as tracked change in five PMS symptoms: psychological, somatic, total symptoms, impact ratings, and worst day ratings. Results: Linear-mixed model analyses indicated both treatments produced comparable reduction in PMS symptoms with medium effect sizes (ES) across all PMS variables as measured by the DRSP (micronutrient ES = 0.50-0.56; B6 ES = 0.43-0.56), with 72% of the micronutrient and 60% of the vitamin B6 group identified as in full remission in PMS symptoms after three cycles. The micronutrient-treated participants showed greater improvement than the B6 group (between group d = 0.51, p < 0.05) in health-related quality of life. For those women (n = 28) who met criteria for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), the DRSP ES were larger for those who had been in the micronutrient condition (ES = 1.28-1.67) as compared with those on B6 (ES = 0.50-0.75), although the group differences were not statistically reliable. There were no group differences in side effects, nor any serious adverse effects reported. Conclusions: Both treatments provided similar benefit for reducing PMS symptoms, with greater effect of micronutrients on quality of life as well as potential clinical benefit of micronutrients for PMDD. This study provides further efficacy data on B6 and also identifies the nutritionally broader spectrum intervention as possibly having specific advantages for those whose symptoms are more severe. As this is the first study to investigate these treatments for PMDD, systematic replication is required.

Premenstrual Syndrome Is Associated with Dietary and Lifestyle Behaviors among University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study from Sharjah, UAE

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a cyclical late luteal phase disorder of the menstrual cycle whereby the daily functioning of women is affected by emotional and physical symptoms substantially interfering with their quality of life. Little is known about PMS in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of PMS among university students in Sharjah, UAE, and clarify its associations with dietary habits, lifestyle behaviors, and anthropometric factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted on female college students at the University of Sharjah, UAE. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and anthropometric assessments. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. Participants were 300 adult university students aged 18-24 years (mean age 20.07 ± 1.53 years). In total, 95% of participants reported at least one PMS symptom during their menstrual period. The prevalence of PMS was 35.3%, with mild symptoms being the most commonly reported. Multiple regression analysis showed that smoking was associated with increased risk of reporting psychological (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.1-5.8; p < 0.05) and behavioral symptoms (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0-4.9; p < 0.05), while high calorie/fat/sugar/salt foods intake was associated with increased risk of reporting physical symptoms (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.4-7.3; p < 0.05). However, fruit consumption (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.125-0.92; p < 0.05) was associated with a decreased risk of reporting behavioral symptoms. A high prevalence of PMS was reported among university students, with smoking and high calorie/fat/sugar/salt food consumption identified as strong risk factors for PMS.

Protein intake and the risk of premenstrual syndrome

OBJECTIVE

To examine the relationship between protein intake and the risk of incident premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

DESIGN

Nested case-control study. FFQ were completed every 4 years during follow-up. Our main analysis assessed protein intake 2-4 years before PMS diagnosis (for cases) or reference year (for controls). Baseline (1991) protein intake was also assessed.

SETTING

Nurses' Health Study II (NHS2), a large prospective cohort study of registered female nurses in the USA.ParticipantsParticipants were premenopausal women between the ages of 27 and 44 years (mean: 34 years), without diagnosis of PMS at baseline, without a history of cancer, endometriosis, infertility, irregular menstrual cycles or hysterectomy. Incident cases of PMS (n 1234) were identified by self-reported diagnosis during 14 years of follow-up and validated by questionnaire. Controls (n 2426) were women who did not report a diagnosis of PMS during follow-up and confirmed experiencing minimal premenstrual symptoms.

RESULTS

In logistic regression models adjusting for smoking, BMI, B-vitamins and other factors, total protein intake was not associated with PMS development. For example, the OR for women with the highest intake of total protein 2-4 years before their reference year (median: 103·6 g/d) v. those with the lowest (median: 66·6 g/d) was 0·94 (95 % CI 0·70, 1·27). Additionally, intakes of specific protein sources and amino acids were not associated with PMS. Furthermore, results substituting carbohydrates and fats for protein were also null.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, protein consumption was not associated with risk of developing PMS.