---
title: Does blood sugar metabolism work differently in women with PMS?
description: This study found no clear differences in blood glucose or insulin levels between women with PMS and those without, except that women without PMS had higher in
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/plasma-glucose-and-insulin-levels-during-the-menstrual-cycles-of-normal-women-1990/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Does blood sugar metabolism work differently in women with PMS?

Study, 1990

# Does blood sugar metabolism work differently in women with PMS?

This study found no clear differences in blood glucose or insulin levels between women with PMS and those without, except that women without PMS had higher insulin at one time point. This suggests blood sugar problems are not important in PMS.

 Early or limited evidence

26 women (9 without PMS and 17 with PMS)

## What they did

Researchers tested 26 women (9 without PMS and 17 with PMS) using a three-hour oral glucose tolerance test on day 5 and day 25 of their menstrual cycle. They measured blood glucose and insulin levels throughout. Ovulation was confirmed using basal body temperature records and progesterone blood tests.

## What they found

Blood glucose levels did not change differently between day 5 and day 25 in either group. Insulin levels also did not change differently, except that women without PMS had higher insulin at the 2-hour mark on day 5.

## What it means for you

This study suggests that blood sugar and insulin metabolism may not be different in women with PMS. This means blood sugar problems may not be part of what causes PMS. The main limits are the small sample size and that only one type of blood sugar test was used.

9

women without PMS

17

women with PMS

3

hours for glucose tolerance test

## About the study

Original title Plasma glucose and insulin levels during the menstrual cycles of normal women and premenstrual syndrome patients Authors Spellacy WN, Ellingson AB, Keith G et al. Journal The Journal of reproductive medicine Year 1990 Study design Study Participants 17 Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2191132/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2191132/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)

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.

## Related studies

Cohort study, 2026

Do sleep, exercise, and diet quality affect period pain, heavy bleeding, and PMS in midlife?

Systematic review, 2025

Do nutritional interventions help with emotional symptoms of PMS?

Systematic review, 2025

How common are PMS, PMDD, and painful periods in nursing students, and do they affect their schooling?

Systematic review, 2022

Do herbal medicines and nutritional supplements help premenstrual syndrome symptoms?

Randomised trial, 2022

Does curcumin with piperine reduce PMS symptoms by lowering inflammation?

Randomised trial, 2022

Do herbal medicines and nutritional supplements help relieve PMS symptoms?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗