Lab study, 2023
Can agmatine help prevent anxiety and depression when progesterone drops?
Yes. When female rats had their progesterone suddenly withdrawn, they showed anxiety and depression-like behavior, but agmatine and related compounds prevented most of these symptoms.
What they did
Researchers gave female rats progesterone for 21 days then suddenly stopped it. Some rats received agmatine or related compounds from day 14-21, others received nothing. They measured anxiety behavior (marble burying), depression behavior (immobility), and brain markers (agmatine levels, progesterone levels, and inflammation).
What they found
Progesterone withdrawal caused: increased marble burying (anxiety behavior), increased immobility time (depression behavior), and reduced exploration of open areas. Agmatine at doses of 5-20 mg/kg, L-arginine at 100 mg/kg, amino-guanidine at 25 mg/kg, and arcaine at 50 mg/kg significantly reduced both the anxiety and depression-like behaviors. Brain agmatine levels, progesterone levels, and inflammatory markers were improved by the treatments.
What it means for you
The agmatinergic system (a brain chemical pathway) may be important in how progesterone withdrawal causes anxiety and depression in PMDD. Agmatine and related compounds could be potential treatments. However, this is animal research on rats, so we don't know yet if these compounds would work or what doses would be safe in humans.
21
Days of progesterone exposure
5-20 mg/kg
Agmatine dose
Days 14-21
Treatment period during protocol
About the study
- Original title
- Agmatine prevents the manifestation of impulsive burying and depression-like behaviour in progesterone withdrawn female rats
- Authors
- Vinchurney MD, Dhokne MD, Kotagale N et al.
- Journal
- Hormones and behavior
- Year
- 2023
- Study design
- Lab study
- What was tested
- Agmatine, L-arginine, amino-guanidine, and arcaine
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105361
Topics
Related studies
Study, 2025
Could taking a combination of vitamins and minerals help with PMS and PMDD symptoms?
Case-control study, 2024
Are vitamin D and calcium deficiency linked to severe PMS symptoms?
Systematic review, 2026
Does vitamin D supplementation help PMS symptoms?
Cohort study, 2025
Do women with PMS or PMDD report lower quality of life than women without these conditions?
Review, 2017
What causes PMDD and what are the best treatments?
Review, 2015
What treatments work best for PMDD and PMS?