--- title: Does a low dose of alcohol change allopregnanolone, a brain chemical linked to PMDD? description: During the late cycle phase, a small dose of intravenous alcohol decreased allopregnanolone levels in both women with severe PMS and control women, but this d url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/the-effect-of-a-low-dose-of-alcohol-on-allopregnanolone-serum-concentrations-2005/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does a low dose of alcohol change allopregnanolone, a brain chemical linked to PMDD? Randomised trial, 2005 # Does a low dose of alcohol change allopregnanolone, a brain chemical linked to PMDD? During the late cycle phase, a small dose of intravenous alcohol decreased allopregnanolone levels in both women with severe PMS and control women, but this did not happen during the early cycle phase. This is moderate evidence, but the study is small and used an unnatural way of giving alcohol. Moderate study design 14 women with severe PMS and 12 control women ## What they did Randomized study. 14 women with severe PMS and 12 control women received either a 30-minute intravenous alcohol infusion (0.2 grams per kilogram of body weight) or placebo. This was done twice for each woman: once during the early cycle phase and once during the late cycle phase. Blood samples were taken at baseline and at 25, 55, and 75 minutes after the infusion. ## What they found During the late cycle phase, the alcohol infusion decreased allopregnanolone levels compared to both baseline and placebo at 25 minutes, 55 minutes, and 75 minutes. During the early cycle phase, allopregnanolone levels did not change with alcohol. There was no difference in this response between women with severe PMS and control women. ## What it means for you A small dose of alcohol affects a brain chemical differently depending on where a woman is in her cycle, but this happened in all women, not just those with severe PMS. The study is small and used intravenous alcohol rather than drinking, so how this applies to real life is unclear. 14 women with severe PMS 12 control women 0.2 g/kg dose of alcohol per kilogram of body weight ## About the study Original title The effect of a low dose of alcohol on allopregnanolone serum concentrations across the menstrual cycle in women with severe premenstrual syndrome and controls Authors Nyberg S, Andersson A, Zingmark E et al. Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology Year 2005 Study design Randomised trial Participants 14 What was tested Intravenous alcohol infusion (0.2 g/kg) versus placebo Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2005.04.016](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2005.04.016) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[Stress](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-stress/)[Neurosteroids (allopregnanolone)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-neurosteroids/)[Alcohol, smoking and substance use](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-substance-use/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/) 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 Review, 2003 How do menstrual cycle hormones affect the brain and cause mood disorders like PMDD? Case-control study, 2013 Are stress hormones different in women with PMDD? Review, 2004 Could a brain hormone called allopregnanolone explain mood problems like PMDD in women? Randomised trial, 2006 Do women with PMDD and depression process progesterone differently than others? Cohort study, 2006 Does having depression in the past affect stress hormone responses in women with PMDD? Non-randomised trial, 2024 Does luteal phase sertraline treatment affect stress hormones and inflammation in PMDD? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗