Do fluctuations in ovarian hormones affect gastrointestinal symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome?
GROUND: An increase in gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, including bowel discomfort, abdominal pain/discomfort, bloating, and alterations in bowel patterns, has been reported during premenses and menses menstrual cycle phases and the perimenopause period in women with and without irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). OBJECTIVE: This article reviews the literature related to one possible physiological mechanism-declining or low ovarian hormone levels–that may underlie the occurrence or exacerbations of abdominal pain/discomfort at times of low ovarian hormones (menses, menopause) in women with or without IBS. METHODS: To identify English-only review and data-based articles, PubMed was searched between January 1980 and September 2008 using the following terms: irritable bowel syndrome, functional gastrointestinal disorders, gastrointestinal motility, immune, pain, hyperalgesia, menstrual cycle, menopause, pregnancy, estrogen, estradiol (E(2)), and progesterone. Studies in animals and in humans
