Interview study, 2006
Does quitting smoking feel harder at certain times of your menstrual cycle?
A review of 13 studies found that some showed women experience more withdrawal and cravings during the luteal phase (the second half of the cycle), but the evidence is inconsistent.
What they did
Reviewed 13 published studies examining how menstrual cycle phase affects nicotine withdrawal and cigarette craving in women trying to quit smoking.
What they found
Some of the 13 studies found heightened withdrawal and craving during the luteal phase (the latter days of the menstrual cycle). However, findings were inconsistent across studies. One challenge is distinguishing withdrawal symptoms from premenstrual symptoms, which also occur in the luteal phase. Some studies excluded women with severe PMDD. Most studies had small sample sizes and other methodological issues.
What it means for you
If you smoke and want to time quitting based on your cycle, the luteal phase might be harder for withdrawal symptoms, but the evidence is weak. The main limitations are that most studies were small, used different methods, and sometimes excluded women with severe PMS symptoms.
13
Studies reviewed
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual cycle phase effects on nicotine withdrawal and cigarette craving: a review
- Authors
- Carpenter MJ, Upadhyaya HP, LaRowe SD et al.
- Journal
- Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco
- Year
- 2006
- Study design
- Interview study
- What was tested
- Smoking cessation attempts timed to menstrual cycle phases
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1080/14622200600910793
Topics
Related studies
Case-control study, 2022
Do women with PMS in addiction treatment experience more alcohol cravings?
Systematic review, 2026
Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms?
Survey study, 2025
Does PMDD or PMS affect quality of life?
Systematic review, 2021
Does substance use change across the menstrual cycle, especially in women with PMS or PMDD?
Survey study, 2016
Is PMS or PMDD linked to eating disorders like bulimia and binge eating?
Randomised trial, 2011
Does a birth control pill reduce negative emotions, food cravings, and water retention in women with PMDD?