82 



G. I. M. SWYER 



reported weight gains of up to 14 lbs. at or during menstrua- 

 tion in two women. Several other writers (see Chesley and 

 Hellman, 1957) have concluded that approximately 30 per 

 cent of women have weight gains associated with menstrua- 

 tion. The suggestion that premenstrual weight gain is due to 



•F 



m.Ea/l 



Ik 



JE 



5 



10 15 20 25 5 



CYCLE DAYS 



10 15 20 25 



Fig. 1. Salivary sodium and potassium concentrations and Na/K 



ratios in two cycles from a normal woman. In this and other figures 



the upper curve is of the basal body temperature in °F. The black 



shapes represent menstrual periods. 



water and salt retention, mediated by oestrogens, is due to 

 Thorn, Nelson and Thorn (1938). Long and Zuckerman 

 (1937) postulated a role of adrenal salt-retaining hormones 

 in the electrolyte imbalance causing premenstrual fluid 

 retention. 



In a recent investigation, Chesley and Hellman (1957) 



