---
title: Does nutrition affect premenstrual symptoms? | Niyora
description: Yes. Different types of premenstrual symptoms may respond to different nutritional approaches: vitamin B6 (200-800 mg per day) for anxiety and water retention
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/nutritional-factors-in-the-etiology-of-the-premenstrual-tension-syndromes-1983/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Does nutrition affect premenstrual symptoms?

Study, 1983

# Does nutrition affect premenstrual symptoms?

Yes. Different types of premenstrual symptoms may respond to different nutritional approaches: vitamin B6 (200-800 mg per day) for anxiety and water retention, magnesium for appetite and cravings, and limiting salt (to 3 grams per day), caffeine, and nicotine.

 Early or limited evidence

Not a specific study population; this is an overview of four PMS subtypes

## What they did

This overview describes four types of premenstrual symptoms (PMT-A, PMT-H, PMT-C, PMT-D), each with different symptom patterns and associated nutritional factors. It reviews the biological changes in each type and nutritional approaches that may help.

## What they found

Four subtypes of premenstrual symptoms are identified. PMT-A (anxiety and irritability) involves high blood estrogen and low progesterone, may improve with vitamin B6 (200-800 mg per day). PMT-H (water retention and bloating) may improve with vitamin B6, vitamin E, limiting salt to 3 grams per day, and avoiding caffeine and nicotine. PMT-C (sweet cravings) involves low magnesium and may improve with magnesium. PMT-D (depression, withdrawal, confusion) is the most serious. In 10 PMT-D women, hormone tests showed lower estrogen and higher progesterone. Two PMT-D women had high lead levels in hair tissue.

## What it means for you

This framework suggests that different symptom patterns might respond to tailored nutritional changes. Women could use this to identify which type matches them and try appropriate nutritional approaches. However, evidence supporting these approaches comes from older research and small studies, so women should check with their doctor before taking high-dose vitamins or making major diet changes.

4

subtypes of premenstrual symptoms

200-800

mg per day of vitamin B6

3

grams per day sodium limit

## About the study

Original title Nutritional factors in the etiology of the premenstrual tension syndromes Authors Abraham GE Journal The Journal of reproductive medicine Year 1983 Study design Study What was tested Vitamin B6 (200-800 mg per day), vitamin E, magnesium, limiting salt to 3 grams per day, avoiding caffeine and nicotine Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6684167/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6684167/)

## 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/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Magnesium](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-magnesium/)[Vitamin B6](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitamin-b6/)[Vitamin E](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-vitamin-e/)

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, 2000

Does magnesium and vitamin B6 together help with anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms?

Randomised trial, 1995

Is paroxetine better than other antidepressants for treating severe PMS?

Survey study, 2026

Can changing your diet help with period and PMS symptoms like fatigue, mood swings and bloating?

Survey study, 1986

Can nutrition and diet changes help with PMS symptoms?

Randomised trial, 2000

Which dietary supplements help PMS?

Survey study, 1994

How many different ways do researchers measure PMS in clinical trials?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗