--- title: Do women with PMS have different hormone levels than women without PMS? description: Yes. Women with PMS have significantly lower levels of allopregnanolone and progesterone, especially during the second half of the menstrual cycle. Their bodi url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/allopregnanolone-concentrations-and-premenstrual-syndrome-2000/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do women with PMS have different hormone levels than women without PMS? Case-control study, 2000 # Do women with PMS have different hormone levels than women without PMS? Yes. Women with PMS have significantly lower levels of allopregnanolone and progesterone, especially during the second half of the menstrual cycle. Their bodies also showed a weaker response to a hormone stimulation test. Moderate study design 56 women aged 18 to 32 years (28 with PMS, 28 controls) ## What they did Measured blood hormone levels in 28 women with PMS and 28 control women without PMS during both phases of the menstrual cycle. Tested hormone response to stimulation in a subset of each group. ## What they found In the luteal phase, allopregnanolone and progesterone were significantly lower in women with PMS compared to controls. Progesterone was also lower during the follicular phase in women with PMS. Estradiol levels were in the normal range for both groups but slightly higher in those with PMS. The hormone response to stimulation was significantly weaker in women with PMS. ## What it means for you Women with PMS may produce inadequate amounts of brain-active steroids, particularly in the luteal phase, which could affect mood and anxiety regulation. This could explain why some women develop PMS while others don't. The study included only young women aged 18 to 32, so results may not apply to all ages. 28 women with PMS 28 control women 18-32 age range in years ## About the study Original title Allopregnanolone concentrations and premenstrual syndrome Authors Monteleone P, Luisi S, Tonetti A et al. Journal European journal of endocrinology Year 2000 Study design Case-control study Participants 56 What was tested Hormone level measurement and stimulation test Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1530/eje.0.1420269](https://doi.org/10.1530/eje.0.1420269) Original abstract Objective: To evaluate basal allopregnanolone and progesterone in both phases of the menstrual cycle in women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and their response to a GnRH test. Design: We selected 56 women (28 patients with PMS and 28 controls) aged between 18 and 32 years. Blood samples were drawn in both follicular and phases. Twenty-eight women (14 patients with PMS and 14 controls) underwent a GnRH test in the luteal phase. Methods: We evaluated allopregnanolone by RIA, using a specific antibody. Serum progesterone and oestradiol were determined using a commercially available RIA kit. Results: Luteal phase allopregnanolone concentrations were significantly lower in patients with PMS than in controls. Progesterone concentrations were significantly lower in patients with PMS in both the follicular and the luteal phase. Serum oestradiol concentrations were in the normal range in both groups of women, although slightly greater in those with PMS. Allopregnanolone and progesterone responses to a GnRH test were significantly blunted in women with PMS. Conclusions: Diminished concentrations of allopregnanolone and progesterone, its precursor, and a blunted response to the GnRH test lead us to hypothesise that patients with PMS may suffer from an inadequate production of ovarian neuroactive steroids, especially in the luteal phase. This would lead to an impaired anxiolytic GABA(A)-mediated response in stressful physiological and psychological conditions, and may in part explain various psychoneuroendocrine symptoms that arise during PMS. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[Neurosteroids (allopregnanolone)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-neurosteroids/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Randomised trial, 2007 Is a brain hormone called allopregnanolone linked to how PMS symptoms improve with treatment? Review, 2003 How do menstrual cycle hormones affect the brain and cause mood disorders like PMDD? Case-control study, 2013 Are stress hormones different in women with PMDD? Randomised trial, 2006 Do women with PMDD and depression process progesterone differently than others? Randomised trial, 2005 Does a low dose of alcohol change allopregnanolone, a brain chemical linked to PMDD? Review, 2003 What role do hormones play in PMS and how should we treat it? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗