Ladies--PMS ever sabotaged your diet?

MKEgal

I went & looked at Pub Med for studies looking at PMS & carbohydrates.
Yes, there is a link between PMS and carb cravings.
It's not an excuse, it's biological.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8697046
Brain serotonin, carbohydrate-craving, obesity and depression
Serotonin-releasing brain neurons are unique in that the amount of neurotransmitter they release is normally controlled by food intake:
Carbohydrate consumption ... increases serotonin release ...
Hence many patients learn to overeat carbohydrates (particularly snack foods, like potato chips or pastries, which are rich in carbohydrates and fats) to make themselves feel better. This tendency to use certain foods as though they were drugs is a frequent cause of weight gain, and can also be seen in patients who become fat when exposed to stress, or in women with premenstrual syndrome, or in patients with "winter depression," or in people who are attempting to give up smoking.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7675373
The effect of a carbohydrate-rich beverage on mood, appetite, and cognitive function in women with premenstrual syndrome
results suggest that the psychological and appetitive symptoms of PMS can be relieved after consuming a specially-formulated, carbohydrate-rich beverage known to increase serum tryptophan levels

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9263230
The effect of carbohydrates on affect
This report reviews studies addressing the issue of the effect that carbohydrates have on affective behavior ... Attention is then devoted to studies that have investigated the mood-altering effect of carbohydrates on normal individuals, depressed individuals, obese individuals, and individuals with seasonal affective disorder and premenstrual syndrome.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12065140
Treatment of premenstrual syndrome with a carbohydrate-rich beverage

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12489244
Premenstrual syndrome. Evidence-based treatment in family practice
Good scientific evidence shows that calcium carbonate (1200 mg/d) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are effective treatments for PMS.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20223600
The high-sweet-fat food craving among women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder: emotional response, implicit attitude and rewards sensitivity
PMDD women had higher reward sensitivity, emotional response, positive implicit attitude, and craving response to high-sweet-fat foods

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25020055
Premenstrual syndrome and beyond: lifestyle, nutrition, and personal facts
(Seems that calcium, magnesium, and B6 decrease PMS symptoms in some women. Worth a try!)
PMD was diagnosed in 14% [of subjects], and related to symptoms of moderate intensity, to late menarche, irregular, long cycles, dysmenorrhoea, and to lower intake of complex carbohydrates, fibers, calcium...