--- title: Does alprazolam (an anti-anxiety medicine) affect how much women with PMDD eat? description: Yes. Alprazolam increased food intake during the premenstrual phase, especially fatty foods. Women who restrict eating were most affected, eating 26% more cal url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/food-cravings-and-the-acute-effects-of-alprazolam-on-food-intake-in-women-with-1999/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Does alprazolam (an anti-anxiety medicine) affect how much women with PMDD eat? Randomised trial, 1999 # Does alprazolam (an anti-anxiety medicine) affect how much women with PMDD eat? Yes. Alprazolam increased food intake during the premenstrual phase, especially fatty foods. Women who restrict eating were most affected, eating 26% more calories on the highest dose than on placebo. Early or limited evidence 19 women with PMDD ## What they did Studied 19 women with PMDD. Each woman received different doses of alprazolam (0, 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75 mg) once during the premenstrual phase and once during the postmenstrual phase. They rated food desires and ate lunch 3.5 hours after the medication. ## What they found Women wanted fatty foods more before their period than after. Alprazolam increased overall food intake during the premenstrual phase. Women who restrict eating ate 26% more calories on 0.75 mg alprazolam compared to placebo. Women who do not restrict eating ate 9% more calories. ## What it means for you Alprazolam may not be a good choice for women with PMDD who are concerned about weight, especially those who limit their eating. This is a small study of acute single doses, so results may not apply to long-term use. 19 Women studied 0.75 mg Highest alprazolam dose tested 26% More calories in restrained eaters on highest dose ## About the study Original title Food "cravings" and the acute effects of alprazolam on food intake in women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder Authors Evans SM, Foltin RW, Fischman MW Journal Appetite Year 1999 Study design Randomised trial Participants 19 What was tested Alprazolam doses of 0.25 mg, 0.50 mg, and 0.75 mg vs placebo, tested during premenstrual and postmenstrual phases Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1006/appe.1998.0222](https://doi.org/10.1006/appe.1998.0222) ## Topics [Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)[Diet and nutrition](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diet/)[Anxiolytics and other psychotropics](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-anxiolytics/)[Eating disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-eating-disorders/) 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 Case-control study, 2010 Do women with PMDD crave high-sugar and high-fat foods more than other women? Survey study, 2016 Is PMS or PMDD linked to eating disorders like bulimia and binge eating? Review, 2001 What causes PMS and PMDD, and how are they treated? Case-control study, 2018 Do women with PMDD crave different foods than healthy women? Review, 2002 What treatments work for PMDD? Survey study, 2026 Is PMS or PMDD linked to eating disorders? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗