Case-control study, 2021
Do women with PMS have different cortisol levels and patterns?
Women with PMS may have higher stress-related cortisol levels and delayed patterns. Many studies are small with limited power, so conclusions are tentative.
What they did
Narrative review of 46 research articles from 2009 to 2020 on PMS, PMDD, and cortisol profiles.
What they found
Women with PMS may have higher cortisol levels related to stress regardless of cycle phase, delayed cortisol awakening response peak, and delayed cortisol decline during the day. The cortisol awakening response pattern does not seem related to menstrual cycle phases. Women with PMS who have higher allopregnanolone (a progesterone metabolite) show blunted cortisol levels at night compared to women without PMS. Allopregnanolone may modulate GABA receptors in a way that induces anxiety and irritability during the luteal phase in women with PMDD.
What it means for you
Stress hormones may be disrupted in PMS, but evidence is mixed. Main limit: most studies are small.
46
research articles reviewed
2009-2020
years covered
About the study
- Original title
- Premenstrual syndrome and cortisol
- Authors
- Florica Şandru, Mihai Cristian DUMITRASCU, Eugenia Nedeltcheva Petrova et al.
- Journal
- Romanian Journal of Medical Practice
- Year
- 2021
- Study design
- Case-control study
- What was tested
- None
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.37897/rjmp.2021.1.2
Topics
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