Having a few big nights out before your period could be increasing your symptoms of PMS according to a new international study.
Spanish researchers have identified an increase of PMS among women who drink. The symptoms of PMS were more evident for heavy drinkers in particular. The study explained how consuming alcohol may increase the risk of PMS by altering levels of sex steroids and gonadotropin during the menstrual cycle. As PMS has been previously found to be linked to fluctuations of these sex hormones during the cycle.
So what is ‘heavy’ drinking? They defined a ‘low intake’ as drinking less than one standard drink a day, or consuming less than 10 grams of ethanol alcohol a day. According to this research, heavy drinking was putting away around one or more drinks containing about 10 grams of ethanol.
I liked how this study did acknowledge, ‘it was not clear whether this increase in the risk of PMS is due to the alcohol consumption or whether alcohol is consumed in an attempt to mitigate the symptoms of the syndrome.’ And suggests more study in needed in this area to confirm.
But regardless this information is important to us all, as PMS can really affect us as individuals. It can be the cause of 2 days each month of not feeling our best, increasing in time off from work or added medical bills.