Fish Consumption and Premenstrual Syndrome and Dysphoric Disorder in Japanese Collegiate Athletes

Abstract

Study objective: To determine the specific characteristics of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)/premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in Japanese collegiate athletes, with a focus on their fish consumption.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: A university in Osaka, the largest city in western Japan.

Participants and interventions: The participants were 312 female collegiate students. The study group was composed of 200 students who were members of sport clubs, and the control (nonathletes) group was composed of 112 members of cultural clubs.

Main outcome measures: Premenstrual symptoms and social activities.

Results: The prevalence of moderate to severe PMS and PMDD in the study group was the same as in nonathletes. The prominent feature of premenstrual symptoms in athletes was that the severities of 'physical symptoms' and 'performance in training or competition' were much greater than those of nonathletes (P = .003 and P = .002, Mann-Whitney U test). There was a greater effect of PMS and PMDD on athletes, affecting their physical symptoms and performance compared with nonathletes. In terms of dietary habits, 'fish or dried fish' consumption was associated with a decreased risk of poor performance in athletes (odds ratio, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.40-0.92).

Conclusion: The results from this study indicate that fish consumption might be positively associated with the relief of PMS/PMDD-induced athletic disturbance.

Keywords: Athletic performance; Fish consumption; PMDD; PMS.