Study, 2024
Can eating fermented foods with Aspergillus oryzae reduce belly pain from PMS?
Eight out of 11 women (72.7%) experienced abdominal discomfort during the luteal phase when PMS happens. Eating fermented food containing Aspergillus oryzae may reduce PMS belly symptoms by 72.7%.
What they did
11 healthy Japanese women in their 20s ate fermented food (Amazake or Raw-SHIOKOJI) containing Aspergillus oryzae for 28 days. Researchers examined them before, during, and after eating the food. Women kept daily records of their food, bowel movements, and menstruation.
What they found
Eight out of 11 women (72.7%) experienced abdominal discomfort during the luteal phase, and all 11 experienced it during their menstrual period. The intake of fiber, fat, protein, and carbohydrate was similar between groups. Eating fermented food containing Aspergillus oryzae may reduce PMS abdominal symptoms by 72.7%.
What it means for you
This small study suggests that traditional Japanese fermented foods might help with belly pain during PMS. The main limits are that only 11 women were studied (all in their 20s and Japanese), so we don't know if it would work for other groups, and there was no control group of women not eating the food to compare.
11
Women studied
72.7%
With abdominal discomfort or symptom reduction
28 days
Length of each study phase
About the study
- Original title
- The Effect of Fermented Food Containing Aspergillus Oryzae (Amazake or Raw-SHIOKOJI) Consumption on Abdominal Symptoms Associated with Premenstrual Syndrome in Japanese Women
- Authors
- Noriaki Wakana, Mami Wakana, Sakiko Inaba et al.
- Journal
- Journal of Nutrition and Food Security
- Year
- 2024
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 11
- What was tested
- Eating fermented food containing Aspergillus oryzae (Amazake or Raw-SHIOKOJI)
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.18502/jnfs.v9i4.16887
Topics
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