Feeling bloated, having a sensation of a swollen tummy or generally feeling larger or more heavy or lethargic are all common experiences that most women have now and then during a period. Mostly, it's a mild and very transient thing, but some women suffer quite severely with it.

It's usually a matter of feeling - rather than being - bloated.

Studies have shown few women actually put on any weight during this time, or accumulate any significant amount of fluid. Instead, it's mostly subjective - that is, you're simply feeling bloated rather than actually being bloated. This may be because of the effect of fluctuating levels of female hormones on areas of the brain which control how we perceive things.

This effect on the brain may be linked to many other premenstrual symptoms such as depression, irritability and feeling very tired.

Simple remedies

The best remedies are simple ones.

• Exercise: perhaps most effective is exercise, although many women feel less inclined to exercise during their period. Try to get out in the fresh air for at least half an hour every day, but ideally exercise for a full 30 minutes, to a level which gets you out of breath.
• Diet: high refined sugar intake or fat intake can make you feel bloated and lethargic. Cut sugar down dramatically and avoid fatty snack foods. Again, many women are tempted to do just the opposite when they're premenstrual.
• Vitamins and dietary supplements: there's some research to show that calcium, vitamin B6 and chasteberry extracts can all help with premenstrual symptoms, while vitamins B1 and E may be useful for the pain of periods. Some women find supplements such as evening primrose helpful although there's little research evidence to support the use of this or other herbal treatments.
• Natural diuretics: most experts agree that the use of diuretic drugs to squeeze fluid from the body isn't necessary - no useful effect has been proven for premenstrual bloating, and there may be risks. However, if you want to try a mild natural diuretic, asparagus, parsley, celery and dandelion leaves all have this effect, as does something much more mundane - the caffeine in coffee and tea.

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Trisha Macnair in June 2008