---
title: Does binge eating in bulimia get worse before your period? | Niyora
description: Yes, this small study found a modest but statistically significant increase in binge eating during the premenstrual phase in women with bulimia.
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-exacerbation-of-binge-eating-in-bulimia-1987/
---

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- Does binge eating in bulimia get worse before your period?

Survey study, 1987

# Does binge eating in bulimia get worse before your period?

Yes, this small study found a modest but statistically significant increase in binge eating during the premenstrual phase in women with bulimia.

 Early or limited evidence

15 normal-weight women with bulimia

## What they did

Researchers looked at the link between menstrual cycle phase and how often binge eating happened in 15 normal-weight women with bulimia, whose eating behaviour had not changed on placebo during a medication study.

## What they found

There was a modest but statistically significant premenstrual increase in binge eating frequency.

## What it means for you

For women with bulimia, the days before a period may be a higher-risk time for binge eating, which could be worth planning extra support around. The study is very small (15 women), gives no exact numbers, and had no comparison group without bulimia.

15

women studied

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual exacerbation of binge eating in bulimia Authors Gladis MM, Walsh BT Journal The American journal of psychiatry Year 1987 Study design Survey study Read the paper [doi.org/10.1176/ajp.144.12.1592](https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.144.12.1592)

## Topics

[Eating disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-eating-disorders/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Premenstrual exacerbation (PME)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pme/)[Appetite and food cravings](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-food-cravings/)

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, 2003

Do bulimia symptoms change across menstrual cycle phases?

Case-control study, 1997

Are PMDD and eating disorders related?

Systematic review, 2022

Do mental health disorders get worse during the menstrual cycle?

Survey study, 2022

How common are premenstrual symptoms, and do they change with age?

Case-control study, 2020

Do appetite hormones and eating behaviors change differently across the luteal phase in women with PMDD?

Cohort study, 2015

Do genetic influences on emotional eating change across the menstrual cycle?

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