---
title: Does alcohol affect anxiety differently depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle?
description: Yes. Anxiety increased more with alcohol during the luteal phase (before your period) than during the follicular phase (first half of cycle). However, this wa
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/effects-of-ethanol-and-psychomotor-tests-on-state-anxiety-interaction-with-1981/
---

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- Does alcohol affect anxiety differently depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle?

Study, 1981

# Does alcohol affect anxiety differently depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle?

Yes. Anxiety increased more with alcohol during the luteal phase (before your period) than during the follicular phase (first half of cycle). However, this was a very small study, so results may not apply widely.

 Early or limited evidence

10 women aged 20-25 who do not drink alcohol

## What they did

10 women who didn't drink were given drinks with different amounts of alcohol. After each drink, they completed challenging tasks while researchers measured anxiety before drinking and after the tasks. Each woman was tested twice - once during the follicular phase and once during the luteal phase.

## What they found

During the luteal phase, anxiety increased more as alcohol doses increased. This connection between alcohol dose and anxiety was not found during the follicular phase.

## What it means for you

Alcohol may cause different levels of anxiety depending on which phase of the menstrual cycle a woman is in. The main limitation is the very small sample size of only 10 women.

10

women studied

20-25

age range (years)

4

alcohol doses tested

## About the study

Original title Effects of ethanol and psychomotor tests on state anxiety: interaction with menstrual cycle in women Authors Logue PE, Linnoila M, Wallman L et al. Journal Perceptual and motor skills Year 1981 Study design Study What was tested Alcohol in doses of 0.0, 0.5, 0.8, or 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight, followed by challenging tasks Read the paper [doi.org/10.2466/pms.1981.52.2.643](https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1981.52.2.643)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)

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