ANY man with half a brain knows that if they’re going to talk about premenstrual syndrome with women — they better do it while walking on egg shells.

Current affairs program The Project aired the findings of a new study on Tuesday night which found women who drink alcohol are 45 per cent more likely to suffer PMS symptoms such as cramps and mood swings.

The study, found that one in five cases of premenstrual syndrome can be associated with drinking alcohol and researchers suggested it’s because alcohol can alter hormone levels.

After The Project host Carrie Bickmore finished explaining the study, fellow host Peter Helliar joked that “it was a very brave scientist who suggested that study”.

Bickmore spoke about her own PMS symptoms.

“You better not touch my chocolate, I will come out in force,” she said.

That was when Helliar decided he’d remove himself from discussing the study altogether for self-preservation.

“Respectfully, I hand this discussion over to you guys,” he said, gesturing to Bickmore and fellow panellist Meshel Laurie.

“You better,” Laurie joked, staring down Helliar.

But never one to shy away from a hearty debate, Hamish Macdonald thought he’d wade into the discussion — but he didn’t get far.

“I reckon it rings true though, booze ...” Macdonald tried.

“Shut up,” Laurie said, cutting Macdonald off before the audience erupted into laughter.

“I’m so sorry,” Macdonald said, throwing his hands up in the air.

Sorry that was a weird reflex man,” Laurie joked.

The confrontation was all too much for Helliar, who immediately jumped up from The Project desk to hide behind the set.

“Is it finished yet?” he asked.

“Yes, get back here,” Bickmore said before continuing with the show.

PMS symptoms can include everything from mood swings to fatigue, bloating, irritability and depression.

According to a Monash University study, 90 per cent of women experience at least one symptom each month.

In November 2017, a professor from Stony Brook University in New York, said that PMS is merely a myth women use when they’re feeling overwhelmed with their busy lives.

The professor Robyn Stein DeLuca came under fire when she suggested PMS is something women use as an “excuse for when they need a break”.

“Growing up, when we become women, we are told in books, on the internet and in magazines that PMS is out there. We internalise this idea that our bodies must be faulty,” she said.

“The medical community is also to blame. We see this again and again that normal life stages, such as pregnancy and childbirth, are treated as sicknesses that have to have some kind of intervention.

“That perspective encourages women to think of their bodies as instruments that cause illness. But it’s more likely that women feel overwhelmed,” she added.

In her book, The Hormone Myth: How junk science, gender politics and lies about PMS keep women down, DeLuca said women often use PMS as a “get-out-of-jail-free card”.