Lab study, 2018
Does the menstrual cycle change the chemicals in our exhaled breath?
Yes. The pattern of volatile chemicals in exhaled breath changes throughout the menstrual cycle, with the most noticeable changes during the premenstrual period and menstruation.
What they did
Researchers measured volatile chemicals in the exhaled breath of 21 healthy women who were not smoking and not on any medications. They used a device called an electronic nose to measure breath at five points during the menstrual cycle: days 1-6, 7-12, 13-19, 20-25, and 26-31 (with day 1 being the first day of menstruation).
What they found
The chemical profile of exhaled breath changed significantly over the cycle. The largest changes were during the premenstrual period and during menstruation, compared to other parts of the cycle.
What it means for you
The menstrual cycle affects the chemicals released in your breath. This finding could matter for people who use breath analysis to detect other health conditions, because the cycle needs to be considered. The main limit is that it includes only 21 women, all healthy, not smoking, and not taking medications, so the findings may not apply to everyone.
21
healthy women studied
5
measurement points across the cycle
About the study
- Original title
- The ovarian cycle may influence the exhaled volatile organic compound profile analyzed by an electronic nose
- Authors
- Dragonieri S, Quaranta VN, Carratu P et al.
- Journal
- Journal of breath research
- Year
- 2018
- Study design
- Lab study
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1088/1752-7163/aa9eed
Topics
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