Debate: Is PMS moodiness just a myth?

"Must be that time of the month again." If you’re a woman, chances are you’ve heard this statement from a man (or even another woman) at least once in your life. It’s generally in response to a woman’s perceived moodiness (or assertiveness, for that matter), or perhaps you’ve even used "that time of the month" as an excuse for your own bad mood or food cravings. Not so fast, say researchers from the University of Toronto. Their research suggests that the mood swings, food cravings and crying spells women sometimes experience before a menstrual cycle are not, in fact, related to PMS (pre-menstrual cycle).

While the physical symptoms of menstruation (bloating, breast tenderness and stomach cramps) are not under debate, the researchers say society over-attributes women’s mood swings to their menstrual cycles, reports CTV News.

They came to this conclusion after analyzing 646 studies on PMS (dating as far back as 1806), of which only 47 were properly performed according to their criteria. Of these 47 studies, only 14 percent found a link between moodiness and PMS.

The researchers did note that there is a legitimate mood syndrome called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD); however, lead study author Dr. Sarah Romans told The Atlantic that the rare disorder only affects 1.5 percent of the female population.

Personally, I know I’m not in the best of mood around that time of the month. It would actually be uncommon for me to not to have a cry or two, so I’m not sure what to think of this study. But, perhaps my moodiness can be attributed solely to the fact that periods are a pain to have.

What do you think? Is PMS moodiness real or is it a myth?

Related:
‘ 3 ways to relieve PMS symptoms
‘ Natural home remedies: PMS
‘ Is it safe to stop your period?