--- title: How common are premenstrual symptoms, and do they change with age? description: Very common. Food cravings affect 85%, mood swings 64%, and fatigue 57%. Several symptoms got worse with age, but mood symptoms stayed the same across all age url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-symptoms-across-the-lifespan-in-an-international-sample-data-from-a-2022/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - How common are premenstrual symptoms, and do they change with age? Survey study, 2022 # How common are premenstrual symptoms, and do they change with age? Very common. Food cravings affect 85%, mood swings 64%, and fatigue 57%. Several symptoms got worse with age, but mood symptoms stayed the same across all age groups. Moderate study design 238,114 women aged 18 to 55 from 140 countries using a mobile app. ## What they did Researchers surveyed 238,114 women aged 18 to 55 from 140 countries using a mobile app. Participants reported which premenstrual symptoms they experienced and how often. ## What they found The most common symptoms were food cravings (85.28%), mood swings or anxiety (64.18%), and fatigue (57.3%). Symptoms like sleep changes, weight gain, headaches, and sweating became more frequent with increasing age. However, mood swings and anxiety did not change with age. About 28.61% of women said their symptoms interfered with their daily life every menstrual cycle. ## What it means for you Most women experience premenstrual symptoms, and several get worse with age. Mood symptoms remain equally common across all ages, suggesting they are a persistent issue for women of reproductive age. This was a very large study but used an app, so results may not represent all women worldwide. 85.28% Women with food cravings 64.18% Women with mood swings or anxiety 28.61% Women whose symptoms interfered with daily life ## About the study Original title Premenstrual symptoms across the lifespan in an international sample: data from a mobile application Authors Hantsoo L, Rangaswamy S, Voegtline K et al. Journal Archives of women's mental health Year 2022 Study design Survey study Participants 238,114 What was tested None - survey study Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1007/s00737-022-01261-5](https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-022-01261-5) Original abstract Premenstrual symptoms, including physical and mood symptoms, affect a large proportion of women worldwide. Data on premenstrual symptoms across nations and age groups is limited. In the present study, we leveraged a large international dataset to explore patterns in premenstrual symptom frequency with age. A survey was administered to users of the Flo mobile application (app), aged 18 to 55. The survey queried app users about a range of premenstrual symptoms. Respondents were asked whether they experienced each symptom every menstrual cycle, some cycles, or never. Age was also captured and categorized as 18-27, 28-37, 38-47, 48-55. Data was summarized and Pearson's chi square test for count data assessed differences in symptom frequency by age group. A sample of 238,114 app users from 140 countries responded to the survey. The most common symptoms reported were food cravings (85.28%), mood swings or anxiety (64.18%), and fatigue (57.3%). Absentmindedness, low libido, sleep changes, gastrointestinal symptoms, weight gain, headaches, sweating or hot flashes, fatigue, hair changes, rashes, and swelling were significantly more frequent with increasing age (p's < 0.001). Mood swings and anxiety did not vary by age group. Of the respondents, 28.61% reported that premenstrual symptoms interfered with their everyday life each menstrual cycle. In a large international sample, the majority of women reported premenstrual food cravings, mood changes, and fatigue every menstrual cycle. Mood symptoms did not vary by age group, suggesting that premenstrual mood changes are a persistent issue among women of reproductive age. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Mood swings and emotion regulation](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-emotional-regulation/)[Fatigue and energy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-fatigue/)[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/)[Apps and digital interventions](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-digital-health/)[IBS and gut symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-ibs-gi/) 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 Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Randomised trial, 2021 Does hypnotherapy reduce pain and emotional distress in women with PMDD? Survey study, 2016 Do hormonal contraceptives reduce PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2026 Can changing your diet help with period and PMS symptoms like fatigue, mood swings and bloating? Survey study, 2024 What premenstrual symptoms do martial arts athletes experience? Survey study, 2018 Do Asian and Caucasian women experience different PMS symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗