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Students and academic performance: what the research says

1173 studies on students and academic performance in PMS and PMDD, each explained in plain English. 18 of them use the strongest designs: randomised trials and systematic reviews.

Survey study 823Randomised trial 111Non-randomised trial 79Cohort study 48Study 46Case-control study 21
Randomised trial, 2026

Does Kundalini Reiki help reduce PMS symptoms and improve quality of life?

Yes, according to this rigorous double-blind study. Nursing students receiving Kundalini Reiki showed significantly greater improvements in PMS symptoms and quality of life compared to those who received placebo.

Randomised trial, 2026

Does calcium and vitamin D supplementation reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. Women taking 1,000 mg calcium daily plus 50,000 IU vitamin D every two weeks for 12 weeks showed significantly greater improvements in anger, anxiety, food cravings, physical symptoms, and work efficiency compared to placebo.

Randomised trial, 2026

Does aerobic or resistance exercise reduce anxiety in women with PMS?

Both aerobic and resistance exercise reduced anxiety and improved emotional control in women with PMS. Resistance exercise was superior to aerobic exercise for reducing anxiety.

Randomised trial, 2026

Does a warm footbath help PMS symptoms and sleep quality?

A nightly warm footbath during the premenstrual phase reduced PMS symptoms and improved quality of life in women with PMS. It did not improve sleep quality.

Randomised trial, 2025

Which is more effective for PMS - Vitagnus, soy, or both together?

The abstract provided is incomplete and does not show the full results, so we cannot determine which treatment was most effective.

Systematic review, 2025

How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling?

PMS affects 62% of nursing students, and 21% have PMDD or severe PMS, while 72% experience painful periods, disrupting their studies and wellbeing. These students need institutional support and evidence-based treatment.

Systematic review, 2025

Does teaching adolescent girls about their menstrual cycle and health help reduce period pain and PMS?

Yes. A systematic review of five good-quality studies shows that psychoeducation (structured teaching) significantly reduced period pain and PMS symptoms and improved emotional wellbeing in adolescent girls.

Systematic review, 2024

How common is premenstrual syndrome in Africa, and what factors increase the risk?

About 47 percent of reproductive-age women in Africa experience PMS, which is high. Starting menstruation at an earlier age is a clear risk factor.

Systematic review, 2023

How many women in Turkey have PMS?

About 52.2% of Turkish reproductive age women have PMS. Rates vary by group: 59% of high school students, 50.3% of university students, and 66% of women in the general population.

Randomised trial, 2023

Does zinc supplementation reduce PMS symptoms in women?

Yes. Daily zinc supplementation for 24 weeks significantly reduced multiple PMS symptoms including anger, anxiety, depressed mood, and physical symptoms like breast tenderness and bloating compared to placebo.

Systematic review, 2021

How common is PMDD among female students in Ethiopia?

PMDD is very common. About 54.5% of female students in Ethiopia have it, though prevalence estimates across studies ranged from 40.8% to 67.6%.

Systematic review, 2020

How common is PMS among women of reproductive age in Ethiopia?

PMS is very common. About 53% of women of reproductive age have it. Age at first period, menstrual pattern, and hormonal contraceptive use were not significantly associated with PMS.

Randomised trial, 2017

Does calcium reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. Women taking 500 mg of calcium daily for two months had significantly less severe PMS symptoms than those taking placebo, especially mood and water retention problems.

Guideline, 2016

What are the best standards for diagnosing and managing premenstrual disorders?

Expert consensus recommends keeping a symptom diary for 2 months before diagnosis, using SSRIs as first-line treatment for PMS, and carefully explaining SSRI side effects to patients.

Randomised trial, 2014

Does royal jelly reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

Yes, significantly. After 2 months, women taking royal jelly had their PMS scores drop by about half, while those taking placebo had almost no change.

Randomised trial, 2009

Is dydrogesterone or calcium plus vitamin D better for severe PMS?

Both worked similarly, reducing symptoms by about 4.6% and 4.2% respectively, slightly better than the 3.42% reduction from placebo. The difference between the two active treatments was too small to say one is clearly better.

Systematic review, 2004

Do gonadotropin-releasing hormone injections work for premenstrual syndrome?

Yes, GnRH injections significantly improve PMS symptoms. Adding hormones does not reduce their effectiveness.

Review, 1999

Does vitamin B6 supplement help treat PMS symptoms?

Yes, vitamin B6 is beneficial for treating premenstrual syndrome according to a systematic review of published studies. However, the abstract does not provide specific details about the magnitude of benefit.

Survey study, 2026

Is PMS worse in medical students with higher stress?

Yes. Medical students with high stress are much more likely to have moderate to severe PMS. About 26.5% of students had moderate to severe PMS overall.

Cohort study, 2026

Is genetic predisposition to immune cell changes linked to premenstrual disorders and their severity?

Possibly. A genetic tendency toward higher white blood cell counts showed a weak association with worse physical PMS symptoms, especially in women whose symptoms started at their first period (p=0.008). However, the connection was not consistent across all markers and needs to be repeated.

Survey study, 2026

How does PMS affect test anxiety in nursing students?

PMS was linked to higher test anxiety both directly and indirectly through delaying sleep and reduced ability to pay attention. The indirect pathway through sleep delays and attention difficulties accounted for 50% of the link between PMS and test anxiety.

Survey study, 2026

Are there different types or patterns of PMDD among Chinese college students?

Yes. There are two patterns: one with severe emotional and physical symptoms, and another with milder symptoms. Women with painful periods were more likely to have the severe pattern.

Randomised trial, 2026

Which works better for PMDD: cognitive-behavioral therapy or mindfulness-based cognitive therapy?

Both therapies reduced stress and improved well-being in PMDD, with cognitive-behavioral therapy being more effective. However, neither significantly improved emotional well-being.

Randomised trial, 2026

Can propolis and fennelin reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes, both propolis and fennelin reduced PMS symptom severity by about 79%, significantly better than placebo, but the study only lasted 2 menstrual cycles.

Survey study, 2026

Does COVID-19 infection or depression affect menstrual periods?

Yes, clearly. Both COVID-19 infection and moderate to severe depression were linked to menstrual changes. About 38% of the female students experienced menstrual dysfunction.

Survey study, 2026

Do young women with PMS search online for health information more and develop health anxiety from it?

Yes. Young women with PMS were more likely to search online for health information and reported higher health anxiety from internet searches. PMS severity remained linked to health anxiety even after accounting for stress and internet time.

Non-randomised trial, 2026

Do dietary changes or sun exposure reduce PMS symptoms in adolescent girls?

Yes. Both dietary intervention and sun exposure significantly reduced PMS symptoms compared to health education alone. Sun exposure was slightly more effective, with 52.3% of girls showing clinical improvement compared to 46.5% in the diet group.

Survey study, 2026

What dietary, lifestyle, and psychological factors are associated with PMS in young women?

Stress and sleep problems were independently associated with PMS. Diet and weight were not independently associated with PMS after accounting for other factors. This is a cross-sectional study, so these are associations, not proof of cause and effect.

Lab study, 2026

Do core stability exercises help women with PMDD?

Yes. After 8 weeks of core stability exercises, women with PMDD had reduced pain and improved ability to do daily activities.

Survey study, 2026

Does exercise help college women with period problems and mental health?

Yes. College women who do moderate to vigorous exercise have less severe period problems, lower stress, fewer depression symptoms, and better sleep quality.

Non-randomised trial, 2026

Does video-guided digital menstrual exercise reduce PMS and period pain in adolescent girls?

Yes. The exercise group was much more likely to have no PMS symptoms (74.3%) and no period pain (34.3%) compared to the control group.

Survey study, 2026

What factors affect PMS in university students and does it impact schoolwork?

About 15% of students had significant PMS. More than half said it affected their schoolwork. Strong family support reduced PMS, and students with PMS were less likely to have very dysfunctional families.

Survey study, 2026

Do nursing students with PMS experience excessive daytime sleepiness?

Yes, most experienced mild sleepiness (55.1%) and sleepiness increased with PMS severity. However, only 2 students had severe PMS, so we cannot be confident about that group.

Survey study, 2026

Is academic stress linked to PMS severity in university students?

Yes, clearly. Higher stress levels were linked to worse PMS symptoms.

Cohort study, 2026

Are diet and lifestyle linked to premenstrual symptoms in college students?

Yes. Regular exercise was linked to lower rates of significant PMS, while smoking and certain foods were linked to higher rates. However, this is an observational study so we cannot know if these factors actually cause PMS.

Cohort study, 2026

Does the menstrual cycle phase affect how much physical activity women do?

No. In active women, daily physical activity remained stable across all menstrual cycle phases (around 50 minutes per day), even when premenstrual symptoms were present.

Randomised trial, 2026

Does yoga or foot reflexology work better for teenage PMS?

Yes, both work. Yoga reduced PMS scores by 24.27 points and foot reflexology by 18.25 points, with yoga being significantly better.

Study, 2026

What are premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder?

Between 5% and 8% of women have moderate-to-severe symptoms that cause significant problems with work, relationships, and daily life. These are called PMS or PMDD. PMDD is the most severe form.

Survey study, 2026

How common is PMDD among college women and what increases the risk?

About 17.4% of college women screened positive for probable PMDD. Living with a boyfriend, having severe period pain, and having longer menstrual cycles were associated with higher odds.

Survey study, 2026

How common is PMDD among female medical students and what triggers it?

11% screened positive for PMDD and 42.5% had moderate-to-severe PMS. Main triggers were stress, poor health, poor nutrition, and exams, though most managed symptoms without seeing a doctor.

Survey study, 2026

What factors most strongly drive PMS severity in female engineering students?

Stress, poor sleep quality, and academic burnout are the strongest drivers of PMS, together explaining 74% of symptom severity. Exercise and diet also matter but are less influential.

Survey study, 2026

How common is PMS in female medical students and how much does it affect their daily life?

About two-thirds experience common symptoms like fatigue and mood swings. PMS affects emotional well-being in 34.5%, social interactions in 22.3%, and school performance in 21.5%, but most students avoid seeing doctors.

Survey study, 2026

How common are severe PMS and PMDD in young women, and what are the risk factors?

About 26% had moderate to severe PMS and 7.3% had PMDD. Risk factors included not exercising, living in rural areas, starting periods early, and not getting enough sleep.

Cohort study, 2026

Are stress, physical activity, and diet linked to premenstrual symptoms?

Yes. Higher stress was associated with worse PMS, moderate-intensity exercise with better outcomes, and higher red meat consumption with more severe PMS. But this observational study cannot prove these factors cause the changes.

Survey study, 2026

Does the Chinese version of the PMS screening questionnaire work well?

Yes. The Chinese version is reliable and valid for identifying PMS and PMDD in Chinese college students.

Survey study, 2026

Is low backache during PMS linked to changes in daily behavior among female medical students?

Yes. Students with higher backache risk during PMS had more severe behavior disruptions. The two were strongly connected.

Survey study, 2026

Can self-compassion improve emotional well-being in women with PMS?

Yes. Self-compassion partly explained why worse PMS severity linked to poorer quality of life, especially for social and emotional well-being. Women who were more self-compassionate had better quality of life despite PMS.

Survey study, 2026

Do female medical students living in hostels have worse PMS than those who commute?

Yes. Students living in hostels had significantly worse PMS symptoms overall, especially anxiety, mood swings, social withdrawal, cramps, and back pain.

Non-randomised trial, 2026

Does a lifestyle education program reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. An education program on diet, exercise, and relaxation significantly reduced PMS severity and improved depression. Effects on anxiety and stress were not significant.

Randomised trial, 2026

Does Emotional Freedom Technique reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. Women who used Emotional Freedom Technique had significantly fewer PMS and menstrual symptoms and better quality of life than those who did not.

Randomised trial, 2026

Does mandala coloring reduce PMS symptoms?

Yes. Women who colored mandalas had significantly lower PMS symptom severity scores compared to the control group.

Randomised trial, 2026

Can nutrition education reduce PMS severity?

One hour of nutrition education plus follow-up support significantly reduced PMS severity and improved diet quality in women with PMS. The approach is practical and low-cost.

Randomised trial, 2026

Does training based on health promotion model reduce PMS symptoms, emotional eating, and stress?

Training reduced fatigue and depressive thoughts related to PMS, but did not significantly improve overall emotional eating or perceived stress.

Randomised trial, 2026

Does acceptance and commitment therapy help women with PMS manage emotions and unhelpful thoughts?

Yes. Eight weeks of acceptance and commitment therapy improved emotional regulation and reduced unhelpful thought patterns in women with PMS, with benefits lasting at least 2 months after treatment.

Review, 2026

How much do PMS and menstrual disorders affect women's work, school, and quality of life?

Significantly. PMS and related menstrual disorders reduce quality of life, mental health, and work productivity. Most productivity loss comes from working while unwell rather than missing work.

Case-control study, 2026

Is PMS linked to poor quality of life in female medical students and doctors?

Yes. Women with PMS had significantly higher odds of poor quality of life compared to those without PMS, even after accounting for age, weight, marital status, and work experience.

Survey study, 2026

Is the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool valid in Serbian?

Yes. The Serbian version works well and is reliable. All items measured what they were supposed to measure.

Survey study, 2026

Is emotional dysregulation linked to premenstrual symptoms?

Yes, emotional dysregulation is significantly linked to premenstrual symptoms. Women with poor emotional regulation are more likely to experience severe premenstrual symptoms.

Systematic review, 2025

What are the main trends in research about premenstrual disorders and related conditions?

Research on premenstrual disorders has grown steadily from 1999 to 2023. Most research comes from North America. Scientists are increasingly studying connections between PMDD and bipolar disorder.

Survey study, 2025

Do adverse childhood experiences increase PMS and menstrual symptoms in adulthood?

Yes. Women who experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences were nearly three times more likely to have severe premenstrual symptoms and more than five times as likely to have PMDD compared to those with fewer or no adverse experiences.