Drinking alcohol a few days before periods is not such a good idea. Alcohol consumption may exacerbate the symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome. This sentence is true for at least one in five European women.
The researchers analyzed 19 previous studies, for a total of 47,000 participants from eight states, and concluded that alcohol is associated with a moderate risk of exacerbating pre-menstrual symptoms.
Women who drank alcohol were 45% more likely to experience chest pain, mood swings, fatigue and nausea before their periods came up compared to women who did not consume alcohol at all. The percentage reached 79% when it came to women who drank heavy alcohol.
"Based on the above figures and our results, we conclude that 11% of pre-menstrual syndromes in the world and 21% in Europe are caused by alcohol," the researchers wrote.
As to the reason behind this cause-and-effect relationship, researchers speculate that alcohol may increase levels of sex hormones and gonadotropins, which in turn affect serotonin levels.
Other variables such as lifestyle, diet, smoking and stress levels were also considered in the study. However, further studies are needed to establish with certainty the link between pre-menstrual syndrome and alcohol.
Source: The Independent
