--- title: What are the most common PMS symptoms in medical students and what lifestyle factors make them worse? description: Anxiety, bloating, and breast tenderness are most common. Coffee drinking, eating sweets, smoking, and heavier periods are linked to worse symptoms, though th url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-prevalence-of-premenstrual-syndrome-symptoms-and-associated-factors-among-2024/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - What are the most common PMS symptoms in medical students and what lifestyle factors make them worse? Survey study, 2024 # What are the most common PMS symptoms in medical students and what lifestyle factors make them worse? Anxiety, bloating, and breast tenderness are most common. Coffee drinking, eating sweets, smoking, and heavier periods are linked to worse symptoms, though this doesn't prove they cause PMS. Early or limited evidence 205 female medical students in Syria ## What they did 205 female medical students in Syria answered questionnaires about their PMS symptoms, diet, weight, smoking, and menstrual flow. Researchers looked for statistical links between these factors and symptom severity. ## What they found Anxiety was reported by 80% of students, bloating by 74.6%, and breast tenderness by 62.9%. Daily coffee was linked to weight gain and headaches. Eating more sweets before the period was linked to breast tenderness and bloating. Smoking cigarettes was linked to abdominal and back pain. Smoking shisha was linked to fatigue and bloating. Heavier menstrual flow was linked to more abdominal pain and headaches. ## What it means for you Diet and lifestyle factors may affect how severe PMS symptoms are. But this was only one university in Syria, so findings may not apply elsewhere. The study doesn't prove these factors cause PMS, only that they're linked. 80% reported anxiety 74.6% reported bloating 62.9% reported breast tenderness ## About the study Original title The prevalence of premenstrual syndrome symptoms and associated factors among female medical students at Al-Andalus University: a cross-sectional study Authors Safa K. Salman, Dina I. Esmandar, Enana K. Sarem et al. Journal International Journal of Scientific Reports Year 2024 Study design Survey study Participants 205 What was tested Lifestyle and dietary factors including coffee, sweets, smoking, weight, and menstrual flow Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-2156.intjscirep20240713](https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2454-2156.intjscirep20240713) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Bloating, breast tenderness and physical symptoms](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-physical-symptoms/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)[Relationships and partners](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-relationships/)[Students and academic performance](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-education/) 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 Survey study, 2021 Does nutritional status affect PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2020 How do diet and lifestyle factors relate to PMS and PMDD in medical students? Study, 2026 What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Survey study, 2022 What diet, stress, and lifestyle factors are linked to PMS symptoms? Survey study, 2019 What lifestyle and sleep habits are linked to PMS in teenage girls? Survey study, 2007 Are diet and lifestyle factors associated with premenstrual symptoms? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗