---
title: Do appetite hormones and eating behaviors change differently across the luteal phase in women with PMDD?
description: Women with PMDD have higher leptin levels throughout the luteal phase and show increased sweet cravings and uncontrolled eating, but changes in leptin are not
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/leptin-and-ghrelin-concentrations-and-eating-behaviors-during-the-early-and-late-2020/
---

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- Do appetite hormones and eating behaviors change differently across the luteal phase in women with PMDD?

Case-control study, 2020

# Do appetite hormones and eating behaviors change differently across the luteal phase in women with PMDD?

Women with PMDD have higher leptin levels throughout the luteal phase and show increased sweet cravings and uncontrolled eating, but changes in leptin are not linked to eating changes while depression and impulsivity are more important.

 Moderate study design

63 women with PMDD and 53 healthy controls

## What they did

Sixty-three women with PMDD and 53 healthy controls had blood tests for leptin and ghrelin during early and late luteal phases. They completed questionnaires about food cravings, eating control, emotional eating, depression, and impulsivity.

## What they found

PMDD women had higher BMI, higher leptin levels in both early and late luteal phases, and leptin increased from early to late luteal phase. Women with PMDD showed increased sweet cravings and uncontrolled eating from early to late luteal phase. Depression and impulsivity correlated more strongly with increased cravings and uncontrolled eating than leptin or ghrelin levels. No significant difference in ghrelin between groups.

## What it means for you

Women with PMDD struggle with increased eating and cravings during the luteal phase, but mood symptoms appear more important than hormone levels in driving these changes. Whether the increased eating contributes to obesity risk in PMDD requires further investigation.

63

women with PMDD

53

healthy controls

2

luteal phases tested (early and late)

## About the study

Original title Leptin and ghrelin concentrations and eating behaviors during the early and late luteal phase in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Yen JY, Lin HC, Lin PC et al. Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology Year 2020 Study design Case-control study Participants 63 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104713](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104713)

## Topics

[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Eating disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-eating-disorders/)

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