Ultra-Processed Food Linked to Worse PMS Symptoms
A study of 607 women in Türkiye found higher ultra-processed food intake was associated with more severe premenstrual symptoms.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Nutrition
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Researchers surveyed 607 women in Türkiye aged 18 to 30 and found that those who ate more ultra-processed foods reported more severe PMS symptoms. The findings were published in Scientific Reports.
Why it matters
The link between diet and premenstrual symptoms remains poorly understood, and the study suggests eating habits may play a role in how severe symptoms feel. Because the work is correlational, it cannot establish that ultra-processed food causes the symptoms.
The study surveyed 607 women aged 18 to 30 using a 0 to 11 ultra-processed food questionnaire scored against a 44 to 220 PMS symptom scale, with each extra food point linked to about one more symptom point. Whether these associations reflect cause and effect has not been determined.
The details
Women were recruited through university networks, social media and referrals and rated symptoms they remembered from the week before their period. After accounting for diet quality, eating habits, age and cycle regularity, the link with ultra-processed food persisted, while closer adherence to a Mediterranean diet showed no clear association in that analysis.
Timeline
Participants recalled symptoms from the week before menstruation during the survey.
The ScienceAlert article reporting the findings was published on November 12, 2026.
Health Landscape
The finding adds to a growing body of research on the Mediterranean diet, which has been studied for links to cardiometabolic and mental health outcomes. Here, adherence to that diet showed no clear association with PMS severity while ultra-processed food intake did.
Readers who experience premenstrual symptoms may find that reducing ultra-processed food intake is worth discussing with a clinician, although the study does not show it will relieve symptoms. The findings suggest that noticing eating urges without acting on them automatically may be associated with milder symptoms.
The takeaway
Paying attention to how often you eat ultra-processed foods and how you respond to cravings may be a practical step to consider, though the research so far shows association rather than proof of benefit.
What happens next
Researchers plan to follow women across several menstrual cycles with repeated measurements of eating, cravings and mood, and a trial randomly assigning different diets could test whether dietary changes ease symptoms.
Further reading
For related coverage, explore more on Nutrition.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ScienceAlert.
Live Poll
Do you try to limit ultra-processed snacks before your period?
