---
title: Do androgen levels relate to sexual interest in women with PMS?
description: Yes, women with certain types of PMS have lower testosterone and higher SHBG, but hormone levels don't fully explain cyclical changes in sexual interest.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/sexuality-and-androgens-in-women-with-cyclical-mood-changes-and-pre-menstrual-2014/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Do androgen levels relate to sexual interest in women with PMS?

Survey study, 2014

# Do androgen levels relate to sexual interest in women with PMS?

Yes, women with certain types of PMS have lower testosterone and higher SHBG, but hormone levels don't fully explain cyclical changes in sexual interest.

 Early or limited evidence

37 Swedish women at a university hospital clinic with cyclical mood changes and PMS

## What they did

Cross-sectional study of 37 women with PMS at a Swedish hospital. Researchers measured testosterone, SHBG, and other hormones in the early follicular phase, then grouped women by hormone level and tracked sexual interest across the cycle.

## What they found

Testosterone was significantly lower and SHBG significantly higher in women with symptoms only in the luteal phase compared to those with symptoms in both phases. All sexual parameters showed significant cyclicity. However, cyclicity in sexual feelings and pleasant sexual thoughts was similar regardless of whether hormone levels were high or low.

## What it means for you

Androgen levels may influence sexual interest in PMS, but don't fully explain the pattern. Women with lower androgens are more likely to have decreased sexual interest before their period. The study is small, measured hormones once per cycle, and only included women from one clinic.

37

women with PMS analyzed for hormone levels

33

women where sexual pattern cyclicity was compared

## About the study

Original title Sexuality and androgens in women with cyclical mood changes and pre-menstrual syndrome Authors Ekholm UB, Turkmen S, Hammarbäck S et al. Journal Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica Year 2014 Study design Survey study Participants 37 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1111/aogs.12327](https://doi.org/10.1111/aogs.12327)

## Topics

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

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.

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗