Case-control study, 1994
Do women with PMS have different mineral levels in their blood?
Yes. Women with PMS had significantly lower magnesium levels (0.70 versus 0.87 mmol/l) and a lower zinc-to-copper ratio (1.40 versus 1.51) than women without PMS.
What they did
Blood samples were taken from 40 women with premenstrual tension syndrome and 20 women without it. Researchers measured the levels of copper, zinc, and magnesium using a laboratory technique called atomic absorption spectrophotometry.
What they found
Women with PMS had a mean magnesium level of 0.70 mmol/l compared to 0.87 mmol/l in controls. The zinc-to-copper ratio was 1.40 in the PMS group versus 1.51 in controls. In women with PMS, both magnesium and zinc levels dropped significantly during the premenstrual (luteal) phase compared to the early-cycle (follicular) phase.
What it means for you
Low magnesium and altered zinc-to-copper balance may be involved in PMS. This study does not show whether raising magnesium would improve symptoms. The main limit is the small sample size and that no treatment was tested to see if it helps.
0.70
mean magnesium in PMS group (mmol/l)
0.87
mean magnesium in controls (mmol/l)
40
women with PMS studied
About the study
- Original title
- Plasma copper, zinc and magnesium levels in patients with premenstrual tension syndrome
- Authors
- Posaci C, Erten O, Uren A et al.
- Journal
- Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica
- Year
- 1994
- Study design
- Case-control study
- Participants
- 40
- What was tested
- None. Blood test comparison only.
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3109/00016349409013429
Topics
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