---
title: Does diet affect PMS symptoms? | Niyora
description: Yes, healthy foods appear to reduce PMS severity while unhealthy foods seem to make it worse. Whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables and certain vitamins are
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/association-of-diet-quality-of-life-and-premenstrual-syndrome-a-review-2020/
---

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- Does diet affect PMS symptoms?

Survey study, 2020

# Does diet affect PMS symptoms?

Yes, healthy foods appear to reduce PMS severity while unhealthy foods seem to make it worse. Whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables and certain vitamins are linked with better outcomes; sugar, fast food and alcohol are linked with more severe symptoms.

 Moderate study design

Women of childbearing age (from multiple studies reviewed)

## What they did

Researchers reviewed published studies on how diet affects PMS in women of childbearing age. They looked at which foods were linked to worse or better PMS symptoms.

## What they found

Diets high in whole grains, fish, fruits, vegetables, and vitamins B1, D and E showed protective effects against PMS development and severity. Diets high in refined sugar, fast food, sweetened drinks, alcohol and chocolate were associated with increased PMS severity.

## What it means for you

This review brings together evidence from multiple studies suggesting diet matters for PMS. However, it cannot prove that changing diet would help because it is based on studies showing that people eating different foods have different PMS levels. The studies may have missed other reasons why symptom severity differs.

whole grains

protective food

refined sugar

harmful food

## About the study

Original title Association of Diet, Quality of Life and Premenstrual Syndrome; A Review Authors Quratulain Javaid Journal Journal of Bahria University Medical and Dental College Year 2020 Study design Survey study Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.51985/jbumdc2020028](https://doi.org/10.51985/jbumdc2020028)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)

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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