--- title: Does regular aerobic exercise reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms? description: Women who exercised regularly had significantly lower PMS symptom scores and fewer symptoms like water retention, negative mood, and poor concentration compar url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-effect-of-regular-aerobic-exercises-on-premenstrual-syndrome-in-sedentary-2018/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does regular aerobic exercise reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms? Survey study, 2018 # Does regular aerobic exercise reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms? Women who exercised regularly had significantly lower PMS symptom scores and fewer symptoms like water retention, negative mood, and poor concentration compared to sedentary women. However, this compares women with different exercise habits, not a controlled trial. Early or limited evidence 220 women: 100 who regularly exercised and 120 sedentary women ## What they did Cross-sectional comparison of 220 women: 100 who regularly performed aerobic exercise (walk-running) 3-5 days per week for 60 minutes per session for 4 months, and 120 sedentary women. They measured and compared PMS symptom scores between the two groups. ## What they found Premenstrual PMS scores were significantly higher in the non-exercising group. During the premenstrual phase, the non-exercising group had significantly higher scores for water retention, negative affect, impaired concentration, behavioral change, arousal, and control. No significant differences were found in menstrual frequency per year, though menstrual flow length differed. ## What it means for you Regular aerobic exercise appears to reduce the severity and frequency of PMS symptoms. However, this was a comparison of women who already differed in exercise habits, so we cannot be certain exercise itself causes the reduction rather than other differences between groups. 100 Women in exercising group 120 Women in sedentary group 3-5 days/week Exercise frequency for 4 months ## About the study Original title The effect of regular aerobic exercises on premenstrual syndrome in sedentary women Authors Güner Çiçek Journal Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity Year 2018 Study design Survey study Participants 220 What was tested Regular aerobic exercise. Walk-running 3-5 days per week, 60 minutes per session, for 4 months. Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.29359/bjhpa.10.2.04](https://doi.org/10.29359/bjhpa.10.2.04) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Exercise and yoga](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-exercise/) 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, 2026 Does aerobic or resistance exercise reduce anxiety in women with PMS? Lab study, 2026 Do core stability exercises help women with PMDD? Cohort study, 2026 Are diet and lifestyle linked to premenstrual symptoms in college students? Cohort study, 2026 Does the menstrual cycle phase affect how much physical activity women do? Cohort study, 2026 Are stress, physical activity, and diet linked to premenstrual symptoms? Randomised trial, 2026 Is yoga or aerobic exercise better for reducing PMS symptoms in adolescent girls? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗