--- title: Is exercise addiction linked to severe PMS in elite female athletes? description: Yes, elite female athletes with higher levels of exercise addiction had more severe PMS. Nearly all athletes (94.4%) reported severe PMS. url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/exercise-addiction-as-a-risk-factor-for-pre-menstrual-syndrome-among-early-adult-2025/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Is exercise addiction linked to severe PMS in elite female athletes? Survey study, 2025 # Is exercise addiction linked to severe PMS in elite female athletes? Yes, elite female athletes with higher levels of exercise addiction had more severe PMS. Nearly all athletes (94.4%) reported severe PMS. Early or limited evidence 161 early adult varsity elite female athletes, mean age 22.0 years ## What they did Cross-sectional study of 161 early adult female varsity athletes (mean age 22.0 years, SD 1.609). They completed two questionnaires: one about PMS symptoms (Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool) and one about exercise addiction (Exercise Addiction Inventory). ## What they found 80.1% of athletes showed exercise addiction symptoms and 19.9% were classified as at risk. For PMS, 94.4% reported severe PMS and 5.6% reported moderate PMS. Regression analysis showed a strong positive association between exercise addiction and PMS, meaning higher exercise addiction was linked to more severe PMS even after controlling for financial status. ## What it means for you Nearly all elite female athletes in this study had severe PMS, and those with more exercise addiction had worse symptoms. This suggests current training methods may harm menstrual health. Limitation: cross-sectional study of athletes only, so we cannot tell if exercise addiction causes PMS or vice versa. The very high PMS rate is unusual. 161 elite female athletes 94.4% with severe PMS 80.1% with exercise addiction symptoms ## About the study Original title Exercise addiction as a risk factor for pre-menstrual syndrome among early adult varsity elite sportswomen Authors Fariha Shabbir, Fariq Ahmed, Asif Ali et al. Journal Physical Education of Students Year 2025 Study design Survey study Participants 4 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.15561/20755279.2025.0606](https://doi.org/10.15561/20755279.2025.0606) Original abstract Background and Study Aim. Menstrual issues are increasingly reported among female athletes, particularly those competing at elite levels. Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) has emerged as one of the conditions that may affect their wellbeing and athletic performance. Despite the use of various approaches to manage PMS, their relative effectiveness in mitigating its detrimental effects remains a matter of practical interest. This study examined the relationship between exercise addiction (EA) and PMS among early adult varsity elite sportswomen. Materials and Methods. Participants were recruited from university sports teams through coordination with official varsity sports departments, resulting in a final sample of 161 early adult varsity elite sportswomen (Mage = 22.0, SD = 1.609) who met all eligibility criteria. Data were collected in person using a demographic information form together with two validated measurement instruments, the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) and the Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI), which were administered in their original English versions to assess PMS symptoms and tendencies toward exercise addiction. Results. Descriptive analyses indicated that symptoms of exercise addiction were highly prevalent in the sample, with 80.1 percent of participants reporting some symptoms and 19.9 percent classified as at risk, while PMS levels were similarly elevated, with 94.4 percent of athletes experiencing severe PMS and 5.6 percent reporting moderate PMS. Hierarchical regression showed a strong positive association between EA and PMS, indicating that higher EA levels were linked to more severe PMS symptoms even after controlling for financial status. Conclusions. These findings highlight the need for more sustainable training strategies. Such strategies may support healthier menstrual wellbeing in early adult varsity elite sportswomen and help prevent addictive exercise patterns. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/)[Quality of life and daily functioning](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-quality-of-life/)[Athletes and sport](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-athletes/) 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 Cohort study, 2015 How common are PMS and PMDD in young female athletes? Randomised trial, 2025 Does dark chocolate help exercise performance and muscle pain during the premenstrual phase? Randomised trial, 2023 Does matching your running training to your menstrual cycle phase improve performance, recovery and wellbeing? Randomised trial, 2026 Does yoga or Pilates help reduce PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2026 Do mindfulness and relaxation techniques help with PMS symptoms? Systematic review, 2025 How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗