A new study on insulin has been conducted.
Many women know that the phase of their menstrual cycle can have a significant impact on their daily lives, health, and mental well-being. A study published in the journal *Nature Metabolism* now shows that the cycle affects fundamental physical functions, such as the effect of insulin on the brain. .
What does insulin do in the brain?
When insulin binds to specific nerve cells in the brain, it affects eating behavior as well as other metabolic processes. For example, people whose brains respond very little to insulin may have a harder time losing weight than those whose brains are quite sensitive to insulin.
Studies involving lean men have shown that their brains consistently respond quite strongly to insulin. For women, however, things appear to be more complicated. To investigate this, researchers administered an insulin nasal spray to eleven women before and after ovulation. This way, most of the hormone reaches the brain rather than the rest of the bloodstream.
The research team then examined how strongly the metabolism responded to insulin administration in the brain and compared the results with the response to a placebo nasal spray.
Conclusion: During the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle—that is, before ovulation—women’s brains are more sensitive to insulin than they are after ovulation. Additional MRI scans showing brain region activity in 15 women also support this finding: The extent to which a woman’s brain responds—or fails to respond—to insulin depends on the phase of her menstrual cycle.
The Importance of This Study from the Perspective of Gender-Sensitive Medicine
Experts point out that this study is quite small, with only 26 participants.
Anke Hinney explains, “This means that larger studies are needed to confirm these very interesting initial findings. Only then can the textbooks be rewritten.”.
He heads the molecular genetics research department at the University of Duisburg-Essen.
Findings in this field are always important. Many drugs are still tested primarily on men.
Molecular geneticist Hinney explains that treating both genders equally could result in the treatment being ineffective—or at least less effective. For this reason, it is very important to include more women and their menstrual cycles in clinical trials.