A longitudinal study suggests that cannabis use may shift across the menstrual cycle for some people with premenstrual symptoms. Among participants who used dried cannabis flower, the amount consumed tended to peak in the days before menstruation and rise again around ovulation, although patterns varied between individuals.
The research, published in Addictive Behaviors, followed 64 naturally cycling participants aged 18 to 42 who had a diagnosed or suspected premenstrual disorder. Participants completed daily surveys across two or three cycles, recording cannabis use, quantities consumed and emotional symptoms. Ovulation was tracked using urine tests that detect the luteinizing hormone surge, alongside participants’ reports of menstruation dates.
Twenty-five participants reported using cannabis during the tracking period. Across the group, the likelihood of using cannabis on a given day did not show a statistically significant cycle-related pattern. However, the amount of dried flower consumed on days when it was used did fluctuate: the clearest increase occurred before menstruation, with a further rise around ovulation in the analysis aligned to menstrual onset.
The ovulation-related finding was less conclusive. When the researchers aligned the data to ovulation, the group-level increase was not statistically significant, and individual patterns differed. The study found no significant group-level cycle pattern in the quantity of THC consumed through edibles or oils.
Daily emotional symptoms were also associated with changes in dried-flower consumption. Participants tended to use more before menstruation on days when they experienced greater-than-usual emotional or rejection sensitivity, or more interpersonal conflict. The researchers could not determine whether symptoms prompted cannabis use, or whether cannabis affected subsequent symptom reports.
Lead author Gianna Zorzini said the results point to substantial differences between individuals, rather than one pattern that applies to everyone. The authors suggest that premenstrual use could be related to attempts to manage emotional symptoms, while a rise around ovulation may fit a theory that hormonal changes affect sensitivity to rewarding experiences. These possible explanations were not directly tested.
The study was observational and included a small number of cannabis users, all of whom suspected they had a premenstrual disorder. It also did not assess why participants used cannabis, how they consumed it, or the products’ THC and CBD concentrations. The authors say larger studies with more diverse participants are needed to establish whether the patterns can be replicated and what may explain individual differences.
Sources: PsyPost.