---
title: Do melatonin levels differ in women with PMS? | Niyora
description: No, there was no significant difference in melatonin levels between women with PMS and healthy women at different phases of the menstrual cycle.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/urinary-6-sulphatoxy-melatonin-levels-within-the-menstrual-cycle-and-in-patients-1990/
---

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- Do melatonin levels differ in women with PMS?

Case-control study, 1990

# Do melatonin levels differ in women with PMS?

No, there was no significant difference in melatonin levels between women with PMS and healthy women at different phases of the menstrual cycle.

 Early or limited evidence

26 women with and without PMS

## What they did

The researchers measured urinary melatonin levels in 26 women - some with PMS and some without - during the early follicular phase and the late luteal (premenstrual) phase.

## What they found

There was no significant difference in melatonin levels on day 6 or day 26 of the menstrual cycle between PMS patients and control subjects. Melatonin levels also did not change significantly within the menstrual cycle in either group.

## What it means for you

Melatonin is probably not involved in causing PMS. However, the measurement method used (12-hour urine samples) may have missed small changes in melatonin that happen early in the morning, so the findings are not definitive.

26

women studied

Day 6

early follicular phase measured

Day 26

late luteal phase measured

## About the study

Original title Urinary 6-sulphatoxy melatonin levels within the menstrual cycle and in patients with premenstrual syndrome Authors McIntyre IM, Morse C Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology Year 1990 Study design Case-control study Participants 26 Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/0306-4530(90)90034-7](https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4530(90)90034-7)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Sleep and insomnia](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-sleep/)

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