---
title: Does a bitter taste receptor gene affect PMS risk? | Niyora
description: This is the first study to link the TAS2R38 bitter taste gene to PMS. Women with higher sensitivity to bitter taste had more PMS symptoms, but the evidence is
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/premenstrual-syndrome-body-fat-and-bitter-taste-receptor-gene-tas2r38-among-2013/
---

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- Does a bitter taste receptor gene affect PMS risk?

Survey study, 2013

# Does a bitter taste receptor gene affect PMS risk?

This is the first study to link the TAS2R38 bitter taste gene to PMS. Women with higher sensitivity to bitter taste had more PMS symptoms, but the evidence is limited because this is a small study in one community.

 Early or limited evidence

105 adult rural women from Kullu, India

## What they did

Cross-sectional study of 105 rural Indian women. Tested their ability to taste bitter flavors using a PTC taste test, which depends on a genetic variation in the TAS2R38 gene. Measured height, weight, and body fat. Assessed PMS retrospectively using a questionnaire.

## What they found

45.71% of women had PMS. Women with the highest bitter taste sensitivity had the highest PMS prevalence; those with the lowest sensitivity had the lowest prevalence. The gene was significantly linked to PMS severity. Severe PMS was rare, varying from 0-6%. Height and weight were lower in women with higher taste sensitivity, but these differences were not statistically significant.

## What it means for you

A bitter taste gene may influence PMS risk, but this is the first report and the mechanism is unclear. The sample is small and from one location in India, so results may not apply elsewhere.

105

rural Indian women

45.71%

had PMS

80.95%

were taste tasters

## About the study

Original title Premenstrual syndrome, body fat and bitter taste receptor gene TAS2R38 among adult Kullu females of Himachal Pradesh, India Authors Sharma K, Kansal A, Chopra S Journal Anthropologischer Anzeiger; Bericht uber die biologisch-anthropologische Literatur Year 2013 Study design Survey study Participants 105 What was tested None Read the paper [doi.org/10.1127/0003-5548/2013/0295](https://doi.org/10.1127/0003-5548/2013/0295)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Anxiety and tension](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-anxiety/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)

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