---
title: Do hormone levels explain why women have premenstrual symptoms?
description: No. Women with more premenstrual symptoms had similar progesterone and oestradiol levels to women with fewer symptoms, suggesting hormones alone may not expla
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/plasma-progesterone-oestradiol-17-beta-and-premenstrual-symptoms-1979/
---

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- Do hormone levels explain why women have premenstrual symptoms?

Survey study, 1979

# Do hormone levels explain why women have premenstrual symptoms?

No. Women with more premenstrual symptoms had similar progesterone and oestradiol levels to women with fewer symptoms, suggesting hormones alone may not explain PMS.

 Early or limited evidence

39 healthy women, mainly hospital employees, median age 23

## What they did

39 healthy women kept daily symptom records throughout their cycles. Progesterone and oestradiol levels were measured daily during the premenstrual week and twice daily for the rest of the cycle.

## What they found

No significant differences in progesterone or oestradiol levels were found between women with high versus low symptom scores. Age was positively correlated with mean progesterone levels in the 3 weeks before menstruation.

## What it means for you

Hormone levels alone may not explain why women experience premenstrual symptoms. Limitation: only 39 women, mostly hospital workers of similar age in one location.

39

women

23

median age

## About the study

Original title Plasma progesterone, oestradiol 17 beta and premenstrual symptoms Authors Taylor JW Journal Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica Year 1979 Study design Survey study What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1979.tb00267.x](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.1979.tb00267.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)

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