---
title: Do women with PMS have different hormone levels than other women?
description: This very small study found no clear differences in most hormones tested, but women with PMS had lower testosterone levels that did not show the normal monthl
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/pituitary-adrenal-hormones-and-testosterone-across-the-menstrual-cycle-in-women-1998/
---

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- Do women with PMS have different hormone levels than other women?

Non-randomised trial, 1998

# Do women with PMS have different hormone levels than other women?

This very small study found no clear differences in most hormones tested, but women with PMS had lower testosterone levels that did not show the normal monthly peak.

 Early or limited evidence

10 women with PMS and 10 women without

## What they did

Non-randomized trial of 10 women with PMS and 10 without. Blood was drawn throughout one full menstrual cycle and tested for several hormones: testosterone, beta-endorphin, ACTH, and cortisol.

## What they found

No differences were found in beta-endorphin, ACTH, or cortisol between the groups. Women with PMS had lower total testosterone and free testosterone compared to the control group, and lacked the normal peak in testosterone around ovulation.

## What it means for you

This very small study did not find the hormone abnormalities that previous research had suggested might cause PMS. It does not support the idea that PMS is caused by hormone problems, though the study was too small to rule this out.

10

women with PMS

10

women without PMS

## About the study

Original title Pituitary-adrenal hormones and testosterone across the menstrual cycle in women with premenstrual syndrome and controls Authors Bloch M, Schmidt PJ, Su TP et al. Journal Biological psychiatry Year 1998 Study design Non-randomised trial Participants 10 What was tested observation of hormone levels throughout menstrual cycle Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0006-3223(98)00403-x](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0006-3223(98)00403-x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)

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.

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