---
title: Do antidepressant levels change during your menstrual cycle? | Niyora
description: In these two women, antidepressant blood levels went up and down during the premenstrual part of their cycle.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/fluctuating-levels-of-antidepressants-premenstrually-1992/
---

- [Niyora](https://niyora.com/)
- [Research](https://niyora.com/research/)
- [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/)
- Do antidepressant levels change during your menstrual cycle?

Study, 1992

# Do antidepressant levels change during your menstrual cycle?

In these two women, antidepressant blood levels went up and down during the premenstrual part of their cycle.

 Early or limited evidence

2 women

## What they did

Measured blood levels of antidepressants in two women throughout their menstrual cycles.

## What they found

Both women had fluctuating antidepressant levels during the premenstrual part of their cycle.

## What it means for you

Your menstrual cycle may affect how your body processes antidepressants. Main limit: only two women, so much more research is needed to understand this pattern.

2

Women studied

## About the study

Original title Fluctuating levels of antidepressants premenstrually Authors Susan E. Kimmel, L. Gonsalvcs, David D. Youngs et al. Journal Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology Year 1992 Study design Study What was tested Observation of antidepressant blood levels Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/01674829209009200](https://doi.org/10.3109/01674829209009200)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)

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

Randomised trial, 2025

Does taking an antidepressant only during the second half of your cycle reduce anger and aggression in PMDD?

Systematic review, 2024

What are the best treatments for PMDD and PMS?

Case-control study, 2023

Does the serotonin system work differently in PMDD across the menstrual cycle?

Systematic review, 2022

What are the best treatments for PMDD and PMS?

Review, 2015

What do we know about PMS and PMDD and how are they treated?

Systematic review, 2012

What medications work best for PMDD?

Ask AI about this page

Copy prompt

ChatGPT

↗

Claude

↗

Perplexity

↗

Google AI Mode

↗

Grok

↗
