Systematic review, 2017
Does vitamin D status change during the menstrual cycle and is it linked to PMS or PMDD?
The active form of vitamin D rises 13 to 26 percent across the menstrual cycle, but the basic form does not change much. Whether vitamin D is linked to PMS or PMDD remains unclear, with some studies finding a link and most finding none.
What they did
Systematic review of 12 studies published between 1980 and 2016 that measured vitamin D at different points in the menstrual cycle. Most studies were conducted in the US. Some measured vitamin D repeatedly in the same women over time; others measured different women once.
What they found
The active form of vitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) rose 13 to 26 percent from early follicular to late luteal phase, with some studies showing even larger rises during the follicular phase (up to 128 percent). The basic form (25-hydroxyvitamin D) showed no changes across the cycle. Three studies found no association between vitamin D concentration and PMS or PMDD; one study found lower vitamin D among women with PMS than controls. Two cross-sectional studies found inverse associations between vitamin D and irregular menstrual cycles.
What it means for you
While vitamin D changes during your cycle, it is unclear whether this affects PMS or PMDD. More and larger studies are needed. The reviewed studies were small and used different methods, making comparison difficult.
12
studies reviewed
4009
women total across all studies
13 to 26%
rise in active vitamin D across cycle
About the study
- Original title
- Vitamin D Status and the Menstrual Cycle: A Systematic Review
- Authors
- Anita Subramanian, Alison D. Gernand
- Journal
- The FASEB Journal
- Year
- 2017
- Study design
- Systematic review
- What was tested
- None; observational studies of vitamin D levels at different cycle phases
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.786.12
Topics
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