---
title: Does taking estrogen help reduce symptoms that get worse before your period?
description: In a small study of 4 women with schizophrenia, estrogen improved symptoms in 2 of them (with one showing major improvement), but responses varied widely.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/estrogen-supplementation-for-female-schizophrenics-treated-with-atypical-2002/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Does taking estrogen help reduce symptoms that get worse before your period?

Case report, 2002

# Does taking estrogen help reduce symptoms that get worse before your period?

In a small study of 4 women with schizophrenia, estrogen improved symptoms in 2 of them (with one showing major improvement), but responses varied widely.

 Early or limited evidence

Four women with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder whose symptoms got worse before their periods

## What they did

Four women with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who experienced worsening symptoms before their period took estrogen pills (Premarin 0.625 mg) daily for 3 months. Their symptoms were measured using a standard evaluation scale before, during, and after treatment.

## What they found

Two of the four women had less worsening of symptoms before their periods while taking estrogen, and one of these two had major improvement. After the estrogen was stopped, three of the four women scored worse on the evaluation scale than they had been before starting treatment.

## What it means for you

Estrogen may help some women whose symptoms get worse before their periods, but people respond very differently. The main limits are the small number of women, no control group for comparison, short treatment time, and it is unclear whether the women got worse after stopping because the medication wore off or for other reasons.

4

women in the study

2

women who improved while taking estrogen

0.625 mg

daily dose of estrogen (Premarin)

## About the study

Original title Estrogen supplementation for female schizophrenics treated with atypical antipsychotics Authors Liao DL, Chen H, Lee SM et al. Journal General hospital psychiatry Year 2002 Study design Case report What was tested Daily estrogen pills (Premarin 0.625 mg) for 3 months Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/s0163-8343(02)00193-7](https://doi.org/10.1016/s0163-8343(02)00193-7)

## Topics

[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)[Schizophrenia and psychosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-psychosis/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

## Related studies

Review, 2024

What is premenstrual exacerbation and how does it affect different psychiatric illnesses?

Systematic review, 2022

Do mental health disorders get worse during the menstrual cycle?

Study, 2026

Do anxiety and depression get worse before your period if you already have a mental health condition?

Survey study, 2026

What is the true rate of PMDD, and does it worsen mental health conditions?

Systematic review, 2020

Do psychotic symptoms get worse during the menstrual period?

Cohort study, 2011

Does premenstrual symptom worsening change how bipolar disorder develops over time?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗