Can the menstrual cycle affect irritable bowel symptoms?
Gut function does appear to be influenced by changes in the level of female hormones. Symptoms like looser stools and cramping can become worse at certain times of the cycle, particularly at the time of menses. It is reported as more intense in women with IBS, than in healthy women without IBS. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether it’s coming from the pelvic organs or from the GI tract.
