Menstrual Cycles and ADHD: New Research Reveals the Connection

How my period is supercharging my ADHD – A groundbreaking investigation led by Kings College and Queen Mary University in London is examining how menstrual cycles influence ADHD symptoms in women. The study involves fifty female participants who are currently receiving medication for their condition. These women are asked to monitor their cycles carefully while tracking how their symptoms and daily functioning change throughout the month.

Social media platforms and online discussion boards have become filled with conversations about this phenomenon. Many women report that their ADHD symptoms worsen during specific phases of their menstrual cycle. This growing awareness has contributed to a significant rise in people seeking ADHD assessments, particularly among adult women who were previously overlooked.

Personal Stories of Struggle and Discovery

Layla Kornota, a thirty-year-old teaching assistant, relies heavily on her phone alarms to navigate each day. She sets multiple alerts for different tasks—waking up, getting dressed, and preparing her work bag. “There’s a million different ones. Different times of the day,” she explains while reviewing her notifications. “It feels like overkill to a lot of people, but I have these markers that I need to hit,” she adds, noting that this system helps maintain focus and creates structure for her ADHD brain.

“It’s like you’re clinging on, for dear life, onto the ball that is continuing to roll, and sort of cursing yourself and the world the entire time.”

However, Layla describes how this sense of control diminishes when her period approaches. The peak of her menstrual cycle brings challenges that make even simple tasks feel overwhelming.

Nineteen-year-old Héloïse faces similar difficulties while pursuing three university degrees simultaneously. She takes Ritalin medication for her ADHD, which typically provides a three-hour window of concentrated focus. “Héloïse takes the pill, sits in the library and waits for it to kick in,” but during her period, she “waits and waits” for a reaction that never arrives. “It feels like losing a walking stick or something you use to support yourself. All of a sudden it’s broken,” she describes.

Understanding the Biological Connection

Psychiatrist Sally Cubbin, a neurodiversity specialist involved in the Kings College research, explains that hormones and ADHD are fundamentally connected. She notes that oestrogen levels drop just before a period, which subsequently affects dopamine—the body’s feel-good hormone. This hormonal shift makes ADHD symptoms considerably more intense during certain phases of the cycle.

Dr Cubbin emphasizes that these monthly oestrogen dips impact more than just concentration and task management. “Women are also more likely to make dodgy decisions and take risks,” she states, mentioning behaviors such as binge eating, excessive spending, and even forgetting to take contraception.

“I love pickles. I know that if I eat too many pickles I’m gonna feel ill.”

For Layla, these impulsive tendencies are familiar experiences. She struggles with overeating and strong cravings during her period. “She says it is not because she’s hungry; but ‘it’s this impulse to do it and then once it’s in your head it’s really difficult to shut it down or turn it off,'” she explains.

Broader Context and Future Directions

Approximately 2.5 million people in the UK are believed to have ADHD, with hundreds of thousands awaiting official NHS diagnosis. NHS statistics from December revealed a 23 percent increase in stimulants and related medications prescribed for ADHD compared to the previous year. Despite this growth, a government taskforce report published in November highlighted that ADHD remains under-diagnosed and under-treated across many regions.

The BBC recently reported that certain areas of England are closing their NHS waiting lists due to overwhelming demand. This surge reflects both increased awareness and the recognition that women experience ADHD differently than men.

Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais, the lead academic on the Kings College project, emphasizes that ADHD in women—particularly adults—represents an important new area of medical research. “Until the late 90s it was seen as a condition that only affected children, and then mainly boys,” she notes, highlighting how recent decades have transformed our understanding of this neurological condition.

The women participating in this research have maintained electronic diaries documenting their hormonal levels alongside the severity of their ADHD symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and impulsive behaviors. Researchers are plotting these cycles against symptom patterns to determine whether medication effectiveness also fluctuates throughout the month.

As this pioneering study continues, it promises to provide valuable insights into how healthcare providers can better support women with ADHD throughout their menstrual cycles, potentially leading to more personalized treatment approaches and improved quality of life for thousands of individuals.