The effect of reproductive hormones on women’s daily smoking across the menstrual cycle

Biology of Sex Differences

Ty L. McKinney¹  Laurie Sykes Tottenham²  Jennifer L. Gordon²  Ashley R. Ethier² 

[1] Department of Psychology, College of Social and Behavioral Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA;Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada;

关键词: Reproductive hormones;    Estrogen;    Estradiol;    Progesterone;    Estrone-3-glucuronide (E1G);    Pregnanediol glucuronide (PdG);    Urinary metabolites;    Menstrual cycle;    Smoking behavior;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13293-021-00384-1

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundWomen attempt to quit smoking less often than men and are less likely to maintain abstinence. Reproductive hormones have been postulated as a reason for this sex difference, though this remains to be clarified. Research suggests that estradiol and progesterone may influence nicotine addiction, though various methodologies have led to inconsistent findings. The current study aimed to directly examine the effect of reproductive hormones on women’s smoking behavior.MethodsOver the course of one menstrual cycle, twenty-one female smokers recorded the number of cigarettes smoked in a day, as well as their perceived need for and enjoyment of cigarettes smoked. Additionally, they provided 12 urine samples for the measurement of the urinary metabolites of estradiol (estrone-3-glucuronide, E1G) and progesterone (pregnanediol glucuronide, PdG). Multilevel modeling was used to examine the effects of hormone levels as well as hormone change on smoking outcomes.ResultsWhen PdG levels were low, they were inversely associated with daily cigarettes smoked. Furthermore, E1G level was negatively associated with both self-reported need for and enjoyment of cigarettes smoked but not the number of cigarettes smoked. Examining the effect of hormonal change on smoking outcomes revealed a significant interaction between change in PdG and E1G on number of cigarettes smoked such that only a simultaneous drop or increase in both hormones was associated with a greater number of cigarettes. Hormonal change effects on need for and enjoyment of cigarettes were not significant.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that (1) elevated progesterone levels lessen the propensity to smoke in women, (2) estrogen levels influence women’s subjective experience of smoking, and (3) simultaneous drops or increases in these hormones are associated with increased smoking.

【 授权许可】

CC BY