Background: Adiponectin has a direct relationship with cellular sensibility grade to insulin action.
Objective: To determine adiponectin concentrations during the three phases of the menstrual cycle in young women, and to study the relationship with 17-beta estradiol and progesterone levels.
Patient and methods: Longitudinal and prospective study that included 30 normal menstruating women aged between 19 and 36 years; none had received any hormonal therapy prior to this study. Adiponectin, 17-beta estradiol, progesterone, LH and FSH were determined in blood in three phases of one menstrual cycle for each participant.
Results: Adiponectin concentrations were lower in the postovulatory phase as compared with the other two phases. Adiponectin levels did not significantly correlate with 17-beta estradiol and progesterone.
Conclusion: Adiponectin blood levels are variable during the menstrual cycle, but the lower concentrations are observed in the postovulatory period that could be associated with other metabolic processes, such as insulin resistance.