Skip to content

Randomised trial, 2026

Does yoga reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes, yoga significantly reduced PMS severity, pain, and improved blood markers while the control group showed no changes.

Strong study design 131 women diagnosed with PMS in Istanbul, Turkey

What they did

Randomized controlled trial conducted in Istanbul from September 2021 to June 2022. 131 women diagnosed with PMS were divided into a yoga group (65 women) and control group (66 women). The yoga group attended 24 sessions over 8 weeks, three times per week.

What they found

The yoga group showed significant reductions in total PMS severity scores, affective, somatic, and behavioral symptoms, and pain intensity. They also showed improvements in hormonal, hematological, and inflammatory blood parameters. The control group showed no significant changes.

What it means for you

Yoga may be a safe, accessible, non-drug approach for managing PMS symptoms and may influence hormonal and inflammatory markers. The main limitation is that the study was conducted in a single hospital in Istanbul.

131

women in study

24

yoga sessions over 8 weeks

3

sessions per week

About the study

Original title
Yoga reduces premenstrual syndrome symptoms and modulates hormonal and inflammatory blood parameters: single-blind randomized controlled trial
Authors
Aysu Yıldız Karaahmet, Fatma Şule Bilgiç, Murat Ekmez
Journal
Troia Medical Journal
Year
2026
Study design
Randomised trial
Participants
66
What was tested
24 yoga sessions over 8 weeks, three times per week
Open access
Yes

Topics