Smoking May Make PMS Symptoms Even Worse: Study

If the stained fingers, yellowed teeth, and potential threat of cancer weren’t enough to make you quit smoking, here’s another.

It can make the already unpleasant symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome, or PMS, even worse.

Women aged 27 to 44 are twice as likely to develop the monthly symptoms if they smoke, according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

That includes hormonally-related grievances like backaches, bloating, breast tenderness, and acne associated with pre-menstrual syndrome.

After adjustment for oral contraceptives and other factors, current smokers were 2.1 times as likely as women who had never smoked to develop PMS over the next 2-4 years.

And there was an extra warning for young women: The research suggested that smoking, especially in adolescence and young adulthood, may increase risk of moderate to severe PMS.

The earlier you start smoking, the worse your symptoms. It may not be because of prolonged exposure, but because the body is still developing.

If the pain is too much and you don’t even smoke, here are some ways to manage pre-menstrual syndrome: 

Modify your diet

• Eat smaller, more frequent meals each day to reduce bloating and the sensation of fullness.
• Limit salt and salty foods to reduce bloating and fluid retention.
• Choose foods high in complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
• Choose foods rich in calcium. If you can’t tolerate dairy products or aren’t getting adequate calcium in your diet, you may need a daily calcium supplement.
• Take a daily multivitamin supplement.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol.

Incorporate exercise into your regular routine

Reduce stress

• Get plenty of sleep.
• Practice progressive muscle relaxation or deep-breathing exercises to help reduce headaches, anxiety or trouble sleeping (insomnia).
• Try yoga or massage as ways to relax and relieve stress

Information courtesy the Mayo Clinic.  

Read the study here.