---
title: Do women with depression have abnormal hormone rhythms across the menstrual cycle?
description: Both healthy women and women with depression showed clear daily hormone rhythms that changed with cycle phase, with no significant differences between groups.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/diurnal-rhythms-of-free-estradiol-and-cortisol-during-the-normal-menstrual-cycle-2004/
---

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- Do women with depression have abnormal hormone rhythms across the menstrual cycle?

Non-randomised trial, 2004

# Do women with depression have abnormal hormone rhythms across the menstrual cycle?

Both healthy women and women with depression showed clear daily hormone rhythms that changed with cycle phase, with no significant differences between groups. However, depressed women had higher overall estradiol levels.

 Early or limited evidence

15 healthy regularly cycling women and 12 age-matched women with major depression, most on antidepressants.

## What they did

Researchers measured estradiol and cortisol in saliva samples every 2 hours for 24 hours, four times during one menstrual cycle. They studied 15 healthy women and 12 women with major depression (7 of whom took Fluoxetine) and analyzed the daily rhythm patterns.

## What they found

Both groups showed distinct daily rhythms in both hormones. Cortisol peak-width and amplitude varied by cycle phase in both groups but did not differ between groups. Estradiol rhythms were consistent across cycle phases, but depressed patients had larger overall amplitudes than controls, negatively correlated with depression duration.

## What it means for you

This very small study of women already on treatment suggests connections between the stress hormone system and reproductive hormone system in depression. However, the sample is very limited and women were on antidepressants, so results may not reflect untreated depression. Clinical significance is unclear.

15

Healthy women

12

Women with depression

4

Times measured during menstrual cycle

## About the study

Original title Diurnal rhythms of free estradiol and cortisol during the normal menstrual cycle in women with major depression Authors Bao AM, Ji YF, Van Someren EJ et al. Journal Hormones and behavior Year 2004 Study design Non-randomised trial Participants 7 What was tested No intervention; hormones measured in women with and without depression who may have been taking medication. Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2003.09.004](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2003.09.004)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)

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