Can yoga reduce symptoms of menstrual disorders?

A systematic review of the published literature on yoga practice and common menstrual disorders found that all of the studies evaluated reported a beneficial effect and reduced symptoms. The impact of a range of yoga interventions on menstrual distress associated with physical and psychological symptoms for premenstrual women are described in an article published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

Jennifer Oates, PhD, King's College London, U.K., assessed the evidence from 15 published studies on the effects of yoga practice on problems such as amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, premenstrual syndrome, and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Enhanced mood, reduced pain, increased wellbeing, and a heightened relaxation response were among the improved outcomes reported by women who participated in a yoga intervention, as reported in the article entitled "The Effect of Yoga on Menstrual Disorders: A Systematic Review."

"While the heterogeneity of the studies presented the authors with limitations, patients can take solace that the studies uniformly found value regardless of the intensity and type of yoga intervention," comments The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine Editor-in-Chief John Weeks, johnweeks-integrator.com, Seattle, WA.