Survey study, 1991
How do stress hormones affect the menstrual cycle and PMS?
Stress hormones in the brain can suppress the hormones needed for normal menstruation and ovulation. Changes in certain brain chemicals during the cycle may be linked to PMS symptoms, but evidence comes mainly from animal studies and theory rather than clinical trials.
What they did
This is a review article that examines how stress hormones (corticotropin releasing hormone and opioid peptides) affect reproductive function by reviewing published research on how these hormones change during stress, exercise, pregnancy, and the menstrual cycle.
What they found
Stress hormones increase in the brain during stress and stop release of hormones needed for ovulation, potentially causing absent periods. During the menstrual cycle, progesterone and estrogen increase beta-endorphin during the luteal phase (after ovulation), then it falls at menstruation. These changes may cause PMS symptoms. In animal studies and small human studies, blocking opioid receptors with naltrexone restored ovulation in women with amenorrhea, though effects on fertility are unknown.
What it means for you
Stress hormones appear linked to menstrual problems and possibly PMS, but the evidence is mainly from animal studies and theory rather than clinical trials in humans. The main limitation is that this is a review article, not a study with human participants, and it partly relies on animal research.
Beta-endorphin
brain chemical rises in luteal phase, falls at menstruation
Naltrexone
restored ovulation in amenorrhea in small studies
CRH
stress hormone that suppresses ovulation
About the study
- Original title
- Corticotropin-releasing hormone and opioid peptides in reproduction and stress
- Authors
- Laatikainen TJ
- Journal
- Annals of medicine
- Year
- 1991
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- Discussion of naltrexone (blocking opioid receptors) restoring ovulation in small studies
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3109/07853899109150508
Topics
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