Study, 1941
Is premenstrual tension caused by electrolyte and water imbalances?
The researchers propose that premenstrual distress and tension are both caused by changes in electrolyte and water balance due to ovarian hormones, but the abstract does not describe whether this treatment worked.
What they did
Examined women with symptoms before menstruation and proposed a theory about what causes them.
What they found
Women experience headache, emotional instability, irritability, belly bloating, nausea and vomiting, increased sexual desire, itching, and vulva swelling before menstruation. The researchers propose that both mild premenstrual distress and more severe premenstrual tension are caused by the same thing: changes in the balance of electrolytes and water in the body due to ovarian hormone cycles.
What it means for you
The study suggests a possible cause for premenstrual symptoms based on electrolyte and water shifts during the cycle. The main limitation is that the abstract only presents the theory and does not describe whether treating electrolyte imbalance actually helped women.
About the study
- Original title
- THE ELECTROLYTE THERAPY OF PREMENSTRUAL DISTRESS
- Authors
- J.P. Greenhill
- Journal
- JAMA
- Year
- 1941
- Study design
- Study
- What was tested
- Electrolyte therapy (proposed as a treatment based on the theory).
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1001/jama.1941.02820330008003
Topics
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