---
title: Does the menstrual cycle change how much lithium stays in your blood?
description: No. The menstrual cycle does not appear to affect blood lithium levels.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effect-of-menstrual-cycle-phase-and-oral-contraceptive-use-on-serum-lithium-1990/
---

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- Does the menstrual cycle change how much lithium stays in your blood?

Study, 1990

# Does the menstrual cycle change how much lithium stays in your blood?

No. The menstrual cycle does not appear to affect blood lithium levels.

 Early or limited evidence

6 healthy women with natural cycles and 7 women using oral contraceptives

## What they did

6 healthy women were given 300 mg of lithium and their blood levels were measured at three different cycle phases: mid-follicular (early), mid-luteal (late), and premenstrual. 7 other women using oral contraceptives had the same test done with artificial hormone cycles.

## What they found

There were no clear differences in lithium levels between the different cycle phases or between women with natural cycles and women using oral contraceptives.

## What it means for you

Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle or from contraceptive pills don't change how the body handles lithium. The very small sample size and lack of a control group mean we can't be very confident in this finding. Other factors may explain why some women need different lithium doses at different times.

6

women with natural menstrual cycles

7

women using oral contraceptives

300 mg

dose of lithium

## About the study

Original title Effect of menstrual cycle phase and oral contraceptive use on serum lithium levels after a loading dose of lithium in normal women Authors Chamberlain S, Hahn PM, Casson P et al. Journal The American journal of psychiatry Year 1990 Study design Study What was tested Lithium carbonate 300 mg Read the paper [doi.org/10.1176/ajp.147.7.907](https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.147.7.907)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Anxiolytics and other psychotropics](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-anxiolytics/)

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

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