---
title: Does leptin explain why women develop PMS symptoms? | Niyora
description: Probably not. Leptin levels did not change with successful PMS treatment, so leptin may not be the cause of PMS.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/serum-leptin-levels-in-patients-with-premenstrual-syndrome-treated-with-gnrh-2003/
---

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- Does leptin explain why women develop PMS symptoms?

Randomised trial, 2003

# Does leptin explain why women develop PMS symptoms?

Probably not. Leptin levels did not change with successful PMS treatment, so leptin may not be the cause of PMS.

 Moderate study design

28 women with PMS and 20 without PMS

## What they did

Randomized controlled study of 28 women with PMS and 20 without. Women with PMS received either leuprolide acetate 3.75 mg (injected once) plus tibolone 2.5 mg daily, or leuprolide plus placebo. Blood levels of leptin, estradiol, and progesterone were measured before and after 2 months of treatment.

## What they found

Leptin levels did not differ between groups or change over time. Estradiol and progesterone dropped significantly during treatment. Before treatment, leptin correlated with estradiol and progesterone, but this link disappeared after treatment. All women with PMS improved significantly.

## What it means for you

Leptin does not appear to explain why this PMS treatment works. The study was limited to one type of treatment and women in one country.

28

women with PMS

2.5 mg

tibolone daily dose

2

months of treatment

## About the study

Original title Serum leptin levels in patients with premenstrual syndrome treated with GnRH analogues alone and in association with tibolone Authors Tommaselli GA, Di Carlo C, Bifulco G et al. Journal Clinical endocrinology Year 2003 Study design Randomised trial Participants 14 What was tested Leuprolide 3.75 mg plus tibolone 2.5 mg daily versus leuprolide plus placebo Read the paper [doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2265.2003.01911.x](https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2265.2003.01911.x)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[Estradiol, progesterone and hormone therapy](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormone-therapy/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

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