Randomised trial, 2006
Do women with PMDD and depression process progesterone differently than others?
Yes. Women with prior depression convert progesterone to its active form less efficiently. Women with PMDD and no depression history show unusual patterns of this conversion, suggesting altered metabolic pathways.
What they did
23 women with PMDD and 29 without PMDD (about half in each group had prior depression) received a double-blind placebo-controlled 300 mg dose of oral micronized progesterone. Researchers measured progesterone and its metabolite allopregnanolone at four time points (160, 190, 225, and 255 minutes after dosing).
What they found
Women with prior depression had lower allopregnanolone levels and marginally lower progesterone levels after the dose, especially non-PMDD women with depression. PMDD women without prior depression had unusually high allopregnanolone-to-progesterone ratios. All women reported increased confusion, fatigue, and reduced confidence after progesterone administration, even accounting for placebo effects.
What it means for you
Depression history may reduce how efficiently the body converts progesterone into its active form, which could explain why some women with PMDD don't respond well to progesterone treatment. The temporary mood worsening from the progesterone dose itself is concerning and needs further study. This was a small acute-dosing study.
23
women with PMDD
29
women without PMDD
300 mg
progesterone dose
About the study
- Original title
- Associations of histories of depression and PMDD diagnosis with allopregnanolone concentrations following the oral administration of micronized progesterone
- Authors
- Klatzkin RR, Morrow AL, Light KC et al.
- Journal
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Year
- 2006
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- What was tested
- Single 300 mg oral dose of micronized progesterone under double-blind placebo-controlled conditions
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2006.09.002
Topics
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