Does what you eat affect PMS symptoms?

Abstract Objective To gather and critically analyze the available scientific evidence on the relationship between food consumption and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. Methods An integrative literature review was conducted, including studies published in the last ten years on the effects of dietary intake on PMS symptoms in adult women. The search was carried out in seven databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, Web of Science, Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), ScienceDirect, Virtual Health Library (VHL), and National Library of Medicine (PubMed)). The selected studies were categorized according to a previously structured checklist. Results The initial search identified 1,713 articles, of which 21 met the inclusion criteria. The studies indicated an inverse association between the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, and dairy products, and the presence of PMS symptoms. Conversely, the intake of coffee and other caffeinated beverages, as well as fried foods, sweets, snacks, fast food, sugary drinks, and foods made from refined grains, was associated with an intensification of symptoms. Regarding dietary patterns, diets composed predominantly of unprocessed and minimally processed foods were related to a lower occurrence of PMS symptoms, while dietary patterns rich in processed and ultra-processed foods were associated with a worsening of the clinical condition. Conclusion Consuming unprocessed and minimally processed foods shows potential to alleviate PMS symptoms, while consuming processed and ultra-processed foods appears to intensify them. However, more methodologically rigorous studies are needed to better elucidate this relationship.

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