---
title: Does exercise reduce PMS symptoms? | Niyora
description: Yes. Each additional 15 minutes per day of moderate activity was linked to 42% lower PMS scores, and 15 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity to 39% lower
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/associations-among-physical-activity-sedentary-behavior-and-premenstrual-2023/
---

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- Does exercise reduce PMS symptoms?

Survey study, 2023

# Does exercise reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. Each additional 15 minutes per day of moderate activity was linked to 42% lower PMS scores, and 15 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity to 39% lower scores. The study was observational, so we cannot confirm exercise reduces PMS.

 Early or limited evidence

221 Chinese female college students from Shanghai

## What they did

Measured physical activity with accelerometers and assessed PMS symptoms in 221 female college students in Shanghai, China who met inclusion criteria.

## What they found

67% of students had PMS. Each additional 15 minutes of moderate activity was associated with a 42% decrease in PMS score. Each additional 15 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity was associated with 39.0% lower PMS score. Light activity and sedentary behavior showed no correlation with PMS.

## What it means for you

Moderate or vigorous exercise may help reduce PMS symptoms. The main limitation is the observational design, so we do not know if exercise reduces PMS or if people with milder symptoms simply exercise more.

67%

students with PMS

42%

PMS score decrease per 15 min moderate activity

39%

PMS score decrease per 15 min moderate-vigorous activity

## About the study

Original title Associations Among Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, And Premenstrual Syndrome In Chinese Female College Students Authors Yuqing Shi, Yuan Xinyu, Mengyao Shi et al. Journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise Year 2023 Study design Survey study Participants 315 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000982308.95452.d4](https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000982308.95452.d4)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/)

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