Randomised trial, 1998
Is PMS caused by abnormal hormone levels?
No. Women with PMS have normal hormone levels but respond abnormally to them. When hormones are suppressed, symptoms improve. When hormones return, symptoms recur only in women with PMS.
What they did
20 women (10 with PMS, 10 without) first received either a hormone-suppressing drug (leuprolide) or placebo. The 10 women with PMS whose symptoms improved then received estrogen and progesterone supplements separately for 4 weeks each during continued hormone suppression.
What they found
Women with PMS improved when hormones were suppressed, then had significant symptom recurrence when estrogen or progesterone were restored. Normal women showed no mood changes with the same hormone treatment.
What it means for you
The problem in PMS is not abnormal hormone levels but an abnormal response to normal hormones. This was a small but carefully designed study that included a comparison group of women without PMS.
10
women with PMS
10
normal women without PMS
4
weeks per hormone treatment period
About the study
- Original title
- Differential behavioral effects of gonadal steroids in women with and in those without premenstrual syndrome
- Authors
- Schmidt PJ, Nieman LK, Danaceau MA et al.
- Journal
- The New England journal of medicine
- Year
- 1998
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 20
- What was tested
- Leuprolide (hormone-suppressing drug) or placebo, followed by estradiol or progesterone supplements
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1056/nejm199801223380401
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