Nutritional practices to manage menstrual cycle related symptoms: a systematic review

Abstract

Certain nutritional practices may reduce menstrual-related symptoms, but there is no current consensus on what foods/supplements are sufficiently evidenced to warrant promotion to reduce menstrual symptoms of naturally menstruating individuals. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Two online databases were searched for published experimental studies that investigated the effects of foods/supplements on menstrual-related symptoms in eumenorrheic women. Extracted data and study characteristics were tabulated and grouped based on food/supplement intervention and dosage compared to UK dietary reference values (DRVs) and safe upper limits. In total, 28 studies and 21 different foods/supplement interventions were included in the review. None of the studies reported a negative effect on symptoms, 23 reported a positive effect and 5 had no effect. Eighteen different ways of measuring menstrual-related symptoms were described across the studies. The results indicate a lack of consistency in studies to confidently provide information to eumenorrheic, naturally menstruating women regarding the use of foods/supplements to reduce menstrual symptoms. Determination of menstrual-related symptoms varied along with dose and duration of food or supplements provided. These data provide some evidence for the use of vitamin D, calcium, zinc and curcumin to reduce menstrual related symptoms of non-hormonal contraceptive users, on an individual basis, however further investigation is required prior to implementation with a focus on robust protocols to determine and measure changes in menstrual symptoms, with interventions adhering to DRVs and safe upper limits.