Survey study, 2022
Are calcium and magnesium levels lower in women with PMS during the luteal phase?
Yes. This small study found that both calcium and magnesium were significantly lower in women with PMS during the luteal phase, though calcium mostly stayed within the normal range.
What they did
Cross-sectional study of 70 unmarried women aged 18 to 25. Researchers used a questionnaire (the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale) to identify PMS symptoms, then took a blood sample during the luteal phase (the second half of the cycle) to measure serum calcium and magnesium.
What they found
Calcium and magnesium were significantly lower in the PMS group (p<0.05), but calcium stayed within the normal range for most women. Across the whole group studied, 5.7% had low calcium (hypocalcemia) and 34.3% had low magnesium (hypomagnesemia).
What it means for you
Low magnesium, and to a lesser extent low calcium, may be linked to PMS symptoms, but this was a small, single-site, cross-sectional study with no separate control group comparison across the cycle, so it cannot show that low minerals cause PMS.
34.3%
Hypomagnesemia rate
5.7%
Hypocalcemia rate
p<0.05
Significance level
About the study
- Original title
- Fluctuation in the serum calcium and the serum magnesium level during luteal phase of menstrual cycle in women with premenstrual syndrome - a cross sectional study
- Authors
- R. Abiramasundari, Shanthini R, Viji Devanand et al.
- Journal
- National Journal of Physiology
- Year
- 2022
- Study design
- Survey study
- What was tested
- No treatment tested; researchers measured serum calcium and magnesium during the luteal phase
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.5005/njp-11056-10_01_01
Topics
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