Survey study, 2024

Is diabetes linked to PMS, and could diabetes drugs affect it?

This is a review of ideas, not a study with new data, so it cannot prove a link. It suggests diabetes and some diabetes drugs could plausibly worsen or trigger PMS-like symptoms, but this needs to be tested properly.

Early or limited evidence Not a study of patients; a review of existing research on women with diabetes and PMS.

What they did

The authors wrote a narrative review, meaning they looked at existing research and theories about diabetes, anti-diabetic drugs, and PMS, and discussed how they might connect. No new patients were studied and no data was collected.

What they found

Hormones involved in PMS can also affect blood sugar control. People with diabetes are more prone to anxiety, depression, fatigue and difficulty concentrating, which overlap with PMS symptoms. Some diabetes drugs may cause side effects (low blood sugar with sulfonylureas, fluid retention with thiazolidinediones) that mimic PMS symptoms. Diabetes may also disrupt gut bacteria, reducing substances like short-chain fatty acids and serotonin that normally protect against PMS.

What it means for you

The idea that diabetes and certain diabetes drugs could worsen PMS is plausible but unproven. Because this is a review of existing theories rather than a clinical trial, it cannot tell us whether treating diabetes differently would actually help PMS symptoms. The authors say proper clinical trials are needed.

About the study

Original title: Emerging Perspectives on the Impact of Diabetes Mellitus and Anti-Diabetic Drugs on Premenstrual Syndrome. A Narrative Review
Authors: Azmy Nabeh O, Amr A, Faoosa AM et al.
Journal: Diabetes therapy : research, treatment and education of diabetes and related disorders
Year: 2024
Study design: Survey study
What was tested: None tested directly; the review discusses anti-diabetic drugs as a topic, not as a tested treatment.
Open access: Yes
Read the paper: doi.org/10.1007/s13300-024-01585-8

Topics

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)Low mood and depression Anxiety and tension IBS and gut symptoms

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