Mood symptoms and gut function across the menstrual cycle in individuals with premenstrual syndrome.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Observational cohort analysis of self-reported menstrual tracking data comparing PMS and control groups.
PubMed 39265472 · doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105634
What was done
The study examined associations between gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and mood symptoms across the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in individuals with and without premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Data were collected from a menstrual tracking app, analyzing 33,628 menstrual cycles across 32,241 participants (27,897 controls with 29,137 cycles and 4,344 PMS participants with 4,491 cycles).
What was found
GI symptoms were reported significantly more frequently in the luteal phase than the follicular phase in both control and PMS groups (p < 0.001). Mood symptoms were significantly positively associated with GI symptoms in both groups during both follicular and luteal phases (p < 0.001). Specific effect sizes, correlation values, and percentages were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
This study shows in a large population that premenstrual GI symptom exacerbation and associations between GI and mood symptoms occur across the menstrual cycle in both healthy controls and individuals reporting PMS.
Limits
Data relied entirely on self-selected users self-reporting symptoms and PMS status within a mobile application without clinical verification. The abstract does not report effect sizes, baseline demographic variables, or controls for potential confounders such as hormonal contraceptive use or primary gastrointestinal conditions.
Cited by
- supports During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, progesterone elevation causes increased water retention, abdominal bloating, irregular bowel movements, disturbed sleep, and increased basal body temperature.