---
title: Are serotonin levels different in women with PMS? | Niyora
description: Yes. Women with PMS had significantly lower serotonin levels during the last ten days of their menstrual cycle compared to women without PMS.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/whole-blood-serotonin-in-premenstrual-syndrome-1987/
---

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- Are serotonin levels different in women with PMS?

Case-control study, 1987

# Are serotonin levels different in women with PMS?

Yes. Women with PMS had significantly lower serotonin levels during the last ten days of their menstrual cycle compared to women without PMS.

 Early or limited evidence

14 women with premenstrual syndrome and 13 age-matched controls

## What they did

A case-control study. Researchers measured whole-blood serotonin levels in 14 women with documented PMS and 13 age-matched control subjects. They also measured serum estradiol and progesterone levels.

## What they found

Serotonin levels in women with PMS were significantly lower during the last ten days of the menstrual cycle. No significant differences were found in serum estradiol and progesterone levels between the groups.

## What it means for you

Low serotonin may contribute to PMS symptoms, since low serotonin is known to cause depression. However, this is a small study and it does not show whether low serotonin causes PMS or results from other cycle changes.

14

women with PMS

13

control subjects

10

days of significantly lower serotonin

## About the study

Original title Whole-blood serotonin in premenstrual syndrome Authors Rapkin AJ, Edelmuth E, Chang LC et al. Journal Obstetrics and gynecology Year 1987 Study design Case-control study Participants 14 What was tested Serotonin level measurement during menstrual cycle Read the paper [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3627623/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3627623/)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)

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