PMS may be exacerbated by drinking, study shows

Having a tipple to alleviate symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may actually be making things worse, a new study suggests.

Researchers from Spain, the University of Southampton and University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust have linked drinking to a heightened risk of suffering symptoms of PMS.

Around one in five cases among European women may be associated with drinking, experts estimated.

In the US, PMS affects between 20 per cent and 40 per cent of women, causing a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including mood swings, tender breasts, food craving, fatigue, irritability and depression during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle.

Studies have shown an increased burden of PMS among drinkers.