To determine whether hemoglobin levels change throughout a menstrual cycle, blood samples will be taken from females every other day for twenty-eight days using lancets. By tracking each female participant’s menstrual cycle, predictions can be made as to which hormones are peaking on a given day through use of a standardized twenty-eight-day cycle. Although hormone levels are not being measured directly, fluctuations in hemoglobin levels may indicate whether hormones play a role in these measurements. The effect of active bleeding during menstruation on hemoglobin levels will also be determined. Males will be tested every other day for twenty-eight days as a negative control group. This project may lend information as to why women may feel more tired at different times during their cycle. It may also provide information on whether an individual can donate blood while menstruating. If hemoglobin levels fluctuate during active bleeding, iron levels are also predicted to fluctuate because iron is a key component of hemoglobin. Previous studies have determined that hemoglobin levels decrease in women during active bleeding and that estrogen and progesterone have an effect on hepcidin. Hepcidin is a protein that inhibits iron entry into the bloodstream by degrading the ferroportin exporter proteins. Estrogen suppresses hepcidin transcription, leading to increased blood iron levels, which leads to increased hemoglobin levels. Increased progesterone levels lead to increased hepcidin levels, which decreases blood iron and hemoglobin levels.

Determination of the menstrual cycle's effects on hemoglobin levels

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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