Relation of menstrual cycle and alimentary consumption of women

SummaryBackground & aimsCorrelate the plasma concentrations of estradiol, progesterone and leptin with the food intake, during the follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle.MethodsThirty female graduate students from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina were investigated. The food intake during the follicular and luteal phases was determined from three-day food intake records. In the same phases, blood was collected for the assay of estradiol, progesterone and leptin. Weight and height were used to evaluate the nutritional status. The results were analyzed with SPSS 10.0 for Windows with Student's t test and Pearson correlation.ResultsLeptin correlated with the Body Mass Index and with the percentage of body fat in the follicular and luteal phases. Energy, carbohydrate and fat consumption in the luteal phase was greater than in the follicular phase. Concentrations of estradiol, progesterone and leptin were significantly higher in the luteal phase. Progesterone correlated positively with the energy and carbohydrate consumption in the luteal phase.ConclusionsIt is suggested that the regular fluctuations of the female ovarian cycle can influence the food intake, exerting a central paper in the maintenance of energy balance and in the maintenance of body weight.