Association between menstrual disturbances and habitual use of caffeine

ObjectivesThe main objective of this study was to determine whether there is an association between drinking caffeinated beverages and menstruation among Saudi female students.MethodsDuring the 2011 academic year, a cross-sectional study was conducted by administering a questionnaire about menstruation and self-reported habitual use of caffeinated food or drinks to 350 premenopausal women with no known medical disease who were working or studying at the University. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by chi-squared cross-tabulation. All tests were two tailed, and results were considered significant when p < 0.05.ResultsIrregular periods were reported by 140 women (40%), amenorrhoea by 26%, oligomenorrhoea by 20.9%, heavy periods by 13.4% and prolonged periods by 9.7%. Few women (7.7%) reported a previous diagnosis of polycystic ovary disease. Coffee was a risk factor for both prolonged periods (OR, 2.37; 95% CI, 1.09–5.12; p = 0.03) and oligomenorrhoea (1.95; 1.15–3.30; p = 0.014). Nescafe was a risk factor for heavy periods (2.22; 1.91–4.12; p = 0.011) and menstrual symptoms (1.84; 1.06–3.02; p = 0.039). Chocolate was protective against premenstrual symptoms (0.22; 0.06–0.85; p = 0.049).ConclusionsThere is a high prevalence of undiagnosed menstrual disturbances among Saudi university women. Habitual use of caffeine should be considered a risk factor for most menstrual abnormalities.