--- title: Can smelling yuzu citrus scent ease premenstrual mood symptoms? description: In this small study, a short sniff of yuzu scent reduced tension, anger and fatigue in the days before a period, working about as well as lavender. The study url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/does-japanese-citrus-fruit-yuzu-citrus-junos-sieb-ex-tanaka-fragrance-have-2017/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Can smelling yuzu citrus scent ease premenstrual mood symptoms? Randomised trial, 2017 # Can smelling yuzu citrus scent ease premenstrual mood symptoms? In this small study, a short sniff of yuzu scent reduced tension, anger and fatigue in the days before a period, working about as well as lavender. The study is very small, so this is an early, low-certainty finding rather than proof. Early or limited evidence 17 women in their 20s with self-reported premenstrual symptoms, studied in Osaka, Japan ## What they did 17 women in their 20s with premenstrual symptoms were tested in a university lab in Osaka, Japan. In a crossover design, each woman inhaled yuzu scent and, on a separate occasion, lavender scent, during the premenstrual (luteal) phase. Researchers measured heart rate variability and mood before and after a 10-minute inhalation. ## What they found A 10-minute inhalation of yuzu significantly decreased heart rate and increased high-frequency HRV power, a sign of increased parasympathetic (calming) nerve activity. Mood tests showed significant drops in tension-anxiety, anger-hostility, and fatigue, plus overall mood disturbance, lasting up to 35 minutes after inhalation. These effects were similar to those seen with lavender. ## What it means for you Yuzu aromatherapy may be a gentle, low-risk way to calm premenstrual tension, anger and tiredness, similar to lavender. But the study had only 17 participants, was short-term (single sessions), and done in one lab in Japan, so larger and longer studies are needed before drawing firm conclusions. 17 Number of women studied 10 min Inhalation duration 35 min Mood benefits lasted up to ## About the study Original title Does Japanese Citrus Fruit Yuzu (Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka) Fragrance Have Lavender-Like Therapeutic Effects That Alleviate Premenstrual Emotional Symptoms? A Single-Blind Randomized Crossover Study Authors Matsumoto T, Kimura T, Hayashi T Journal Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) Year 2017 Study design Randomised trial What was tested Inhaling yuzu citrus fragrance for 10 minutes during the luteal phase, compared with lavender fragrance Read the paper [doi.org/10.1089/acm.2016.0328](https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2016.0328) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[Other herbal medicine](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-herbal-other/) 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. ## Related studies Randomised trial, 2010 Does St John's wort help women with mild PMS? Survey study, 2025 Can a plant-based supplement reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2024 How common is dysmenorrhea related to PMS in university students, and how do they treat it? Randomised trial, 2013 Does homeopathic treatment reduce PMS symptoms? Randomised trial, 2026 Does calcium and vitamin D supplementation reduce PMS symptoms? Cohort study, 2025 How common is PMS in Chinese teenage girls, and what factors are linked to it? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗