Study, 1995
Do women with PMS have different thyroid hormone levels during their menstrual cycle?
Average thyroid hormone levels were the same in women with PMS and control women. Women with PMS showed much greater variation in hormone levels between cycle phases.
What they did
Fifteen women with PMS and 15 control women had thyroid hormones measured twice: once during the first half of their cycle and once during the second half. Researchers measured TSH, T3 uptake, T4, and FTI.
What they found
Average thyroid hormone levels were the same in women with PMS and control women during both cycle phases. Women with PMS showed much greater changes in hormones (TSH, T3 uptake, T4, FTI) between the two phases compared to control women. Reverse T3 was higher during the second half of the cycle than the first half.
What it means for you
Women with PMS may experience more thyroid instability across their cycle, which could contribute to symptoms. The study was very small with only two hormone measurements per woman, so results may not apply to all women with PMS. It remains unclear whether thyroid changes cause or are associated with PMS.
15
women with PMS
15
control women
4
thyroid hormones measured
About the study
- Original title
- Thyroid axis function during the menstrual cycle in women with premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Girdler SS, Pedersen CA, Light KC
- Journal
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Year
- 1995
- Study design
- Study
- Participants
- 15
- What was tested
- None
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/0306-4530(94)00068-9
Topics
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