Study, 2018
Does regular exercise increase hormones that help with PMS?
Yes. Regular exercise significantly increased melatonin levels, which play a role in PMS symptoms.
What they did
Researchers measured blood levels of serotonin and melatonin in 20 professional female athletes with PMS. They measured hormone levels before and after the sports season, and also before and after individual exercise sessions.
What they found
After physical activity, melatonin levels increased significantly, both before and after the sports season. Melatonin levels did not change significantly with the season itself. The researchers concluded that regular exercise is effective for treating PMS symptoms.
What it means for you
Physical activity may help PMS by increasing melatonin, a hormone that plays a role in PMS symptoms. The main limitation is that only 20 professional athletes were studied, so it is unclear if these results apply to all women.
20
professional female athletes with PMS
About the study
- Original title
- The effect of physical activity on the levels of the hormones, serotonin and melatonin in premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Kadir Bakay, Hasan Ulubaşoğlu, Tülin Atan et al.
- Journal
- Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Year
- 2018
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 20
- What was tested
- Physical activity and regular exercise
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.12891/ceog4201.2018
Topics
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