Elliott Sarah A, Ng Janet, Leow Melvin Khee-Shing, Henry Christiani J K
Clinical Nutrition Research Centre, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117069, Singapore.
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
Eur J Nutr. 2015 Dec;54(8):1323-32. doi: 10.1007/s00394-014-0812-y. Epub 2014 Dec 14.
In Caucasian women, research has shown that energy balance and taste preference change throughout the menstrual cycle. However, the contributory role of the menstrual cycle to obesity and insulin resistance among Asian women remains unclear. We investigate the impact of the menstrual cycle on energy balance and taste preference in Singaporean Chinese females.
Thirty-one healthy young Chinese female subjects with regular menstrual cycles were recruited. Anthropometrics, body composition, energy intake, resting metabolic rate, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) severity and taste preference to sucrose were assessed during three phases (menses, follicular and luteal), over one (N = 18) to two (N = 13) menstrual cycles.
For all subjects (N = 31), we found significant reductions in energy, fat intake (p < 0.05) and taste preference for sucrose (p < 0.05) in the luteal phase compared to early follicular phase as far as Cycle 1 is concerned. No significant differences were observed for carbohydrate and protein intake as well as PMS score. In those evaluated for two full cycles (N = 13), we found that taste preference for sucrose and PMS score were significantly higher in the menstrual phase in Cycle 2 (p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in energy and macronutrient intake throughout Cycle 2. RMR was similar across the three phases. However, non-significant cyclic variations were noted within and between the cycles.
Cyclic variations in energy intake and expenditure contributed by sensory and behavioural changes occur during the menstrual cycle. Whether this contributes to cyclic weight gain is speculative and remains to be proven. Further research in non-Caucasians spanning more than one menstrual cycle is needed to establish the impact of the menstrual cycle on taste preference and energy balance.
在白种女性中，研究表明能量平衡和口味偏好会在整个月经周期发生变化。然而，月经周期对亚洲女性肥胖和胰岛素抵抗的作用仍不明确。我们研究月经周期对新加坡华裔女性能量平衡和口味偏好的影响。
招募了31名月经周期规律的健康年轻华裔女性受试者。在一个（N = 18）至两个（N = 13）月经周期的三个阶段（月经期、卵泡期和黄体期）评估人体测量学指标、身体成分、能量摄入、静息代谢率、经前综合征（PMS）严重程度以及对蔗糖的口味偏好。
对于所有受试者（N = 31），就第1周期而言，我们发现与卵泡早期相比，黄体期的能量、脂肪摄入量（p < 0.05）以及对蔗糖的口味偏好（p < 0.05）显著降低。碳水化合物和蛋白质摄入量以及PMS评分未观察到显著差异。在评估了两个完整周期的受试者（N = 13）中，我们发现第2周期月经期对蔗糖的口味偏好和PMS评分显著更高（p < 0.05）。在整个第2周期中，能量和常量营养素摄入量未观察到显著差异。三个阶段的静息代谢率相似。然而，在各周期内和各周期之间均注意到非显著的周期性变化。
月经周期中会出现由感官和行为变化导致的能量摄入和消耗的周期性变化。这是否会导致周期性体重增加尚属推测，有待证实。需要对非白种人进行跨越多个月经周期的进一步研究，以确定月经周期对口味偏好和能量平衡的影响。
