--- title: Do hormone levels change during the menstrual cycle in women with depression? description: Yes. Women with depression had higher levels of a chemical called homocysteine in the early cycle compared to the late cycle, and overall higher levels than h url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/homocysteine-during-the-menstrual-cycle-in-depressive-women-2003/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Do hormone levels change during the menstrual cycle in women with depression? Survey study, 2003 # Do hormone levels change during the menstrual cycle in women with depression? Yes. Women with depression had higher levels of a chemical called homocysteine in the early cycle compared to the late cycle, and overall higher levels than healthy women. Early or limited evidence 13 women with depression and anxiety, and 15 healthy women ## What they did Researchers studied 13 women with depression and anxiety taking fluoxetine and 15 healthy women. They measured levels of homocysteine and other hormones (estradiol, progesterone, and cortisol) at different phases of the menstrual cycle. ## What they found Homocysteine levels were higher in the follicular phase (early cycle) than in the luteal phase (late cycle) in both depressed women and healthy women. Women with depression had higher homocysteine than healthy women in both phases. Estradiol and cortisol were higher in the follicular phase for women with depression. ## What it means for you The findings show that women with depression may have different hormone patterns during their cycle. The study is very small with only 13 women with depression and only included women taking one type of antidepressant, so results may not apply to all women with depression. 13 women with depression 15 healthy women ## About the study Original title Homocysteine during the menstrual cycle in depressive women Authors Tallova J, Bicikova M, Hill M et al. Journal European journal of clinical investigation Year 2003 Study design Survey study Participants 15 Read the paper [doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2362.2003.01087.x](https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2362.2003.01087.x) ## 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/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[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/)[Anxiety disorders and OCD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-anxiety-disorders/)[Perimenopause and menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-perimenopause/) 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 Review, 1999 Is premenstrual dysphoric disorder a distinct clinical disorder? Cohort study, 2010 How do anxiety disorders differ across different life stages? Study, 2026 Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition? Cohort study, 2022 What are PMS and PMDD and how should they be diagnosed and treated? Cohort study, 2012 How quickly does fluoxetine start working for PMDD symptoms? Review, 2000 What conditions beyond depression can antidepressants treat? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗