Review, 2002
Are hormone problems the cause of PMS?
No clear hormone abnormalities have been found in people with PMS, even though hormones seem connected to mood. A treatment that stops monthly cycles improved mood, but why this works is still unclear.
What they did
Reviewed research on how hormones and the reproductive system relate to mood disorders, including PMS.
What they found
Studies have found no abnormalities in hormone levels (LH, estradiol, or progesterone) in people with PMS. Blocking progesterone did not work as a treatment for PMS. However, stopping monthly cycling entirely with a treatment called leuprolide improved mood. Stress does affect the reproductive hormone system, but this connection to PMS remains unclear.
What it means for you
Even though hormones seem involved in PMS and mood, hormone levels measured in blood tests look normal, which is puzzling. A treatment that eliminates the menstrual cycle helps mood, suggesting that the cycling itself may matter more than the hormone levels. This is a review of existing studies, not new research, and much more study is needed to explain these findings.
About the study
- Original title
- The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in mood disorders
- Authors
- Young EA, Korszun A
- Journal
- Endocrinology and metabolism clinics of North America
- Year
- 2002
- Study design
- Review
- What was tested
- No new intervention tested; various hormone treatments and PMS patterns were reviewed.
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/s0889-8529(01)00002-0
Topics
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