---
title: Are insulin and leptin levels different in women with PMDD across the menstrual cycle?
description: Yes. Women with PMDD had different patterns of insulin and leptin changes across the cycle compared to women without PMDD, but it is unclear whether these hor
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/circulating-insulin-and-leptin-in-women-with-and-without-premenstrual-disphoric-2013/
---

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- Are insulin and leptin levels different in women with PMDD across the menstrual cycle?

Case-control study, 2013

# Are insulin and leptin levels different in women with PMDD across the menstrual cycle?

Yes. Women with PMDD had different patterns of insulin and leptin changes across the cycle compared to women without PMDD, but it is unclear whether these hormone changes cause mood and appetite symptoms or result from them.

 Early or limited evidence

20 women with PMDD and 18 women without PMDD

## What they did

Researchers studied 20 women with PMDD and 18 women without PMDD. Fasting blood glucose, insulin, leptin, and progesterone levels were measured during the follicular phase (early cycle) and luteal phase (second half of cycle).

## What they found

Significant interactions were found for serum leptin, insulin, and HOMA-IR (insulin resistance measure) between PMDD diagnosis and menstrual phases (F = 5.4, p = 0.025 for leptin; F = 5.4, p = 0.026 for insulin; F = 4.7, p = 0.036 for HOMA-IR). In women without PMDD, a significant correlation was found between progesterone and insulin levels in the luteal phase (r = 0.58, p = 0.01).

## What it means for you

Insulin and leptin may play a role in PMDD symptoms, but the sample was very small and it remains unclear whether these hormone changes are the cause or result of mood and appetite changes. These findings need larger studies to confirm.

20

women with PMDD

18

women without PMDD

0.025

p-value for leptin interaction

## About the study

Original title Circulating insulin and leptin in women with and without premenstrual disphoric disorder in the menstrual cycle Authors Akturk M, Toruner F, Aslan S et al. Journal Gynecological endocrinology : the official journal of the International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology Year 2013 Study design Case-control study Participants 20 What was tested Observational comparison of hormone levels across cycle phases Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/09513590.2013.769512](https://doi.org/10.3109/09513590.2013.769512)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)

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## Related studies

Study, 2026

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Survey study, 2022

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Case-control study, 2018

Do women with PMDD crave different foods than healthy women?

Case-control study, 2010

Do women with PMDD crave high-sugar and high-fat foods more than other women?

Non-randomised trial, 2008

Do mood, memory, and food cravings worsen during the luteal phase in women with PMDD?

Randomised trial, 2002

Does the birth control pill Yasmin help women with PMDD?

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