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.
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
Topics
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