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.
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
Topics
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