Salivary electrolyte changes during the normal menstrual cycle

Daily samples of parotid and submaxillary saliva were collected from eight females during a complete menstrual cycle. Findings revealed significant electrolyte changes in the submaxillary saliva. Comparison of menstrual and midcycle concentrations of calcium and sodium demonstrated a notable decrease in calcium and sodium at midcycle, whereas potassium levels increased signifi-cantly. Changes were attributed to a prob-able hormonal effect on salivary composi-tion. In recent years, salivary composition has been found to be related to hormonal activ-ity and output. Salivary electrolyte concen-trations have been reported to vary with administration of different hormones.'-3 Jun-quiera and Toledo4 found that in animals testosterone affects the composition of sub-maxillary saliva. In humans, studies measur-ing aldosterone secretion and salivary elec-trolytes during salt depletion and loading,5 and studies of preoperative and postopera-tive salivary electrolytes in primary aldo-steronism,1,2 have established the influence of aldosterone on salivary sodium and sub-maxillary potassium in particular. Recently, Marder, Wotman, and Mandel'6 examined salivary electrolyte changes during pregnancy. Submaxillary saliva exhibited a low antepartum calcium concentration and a normal postpartum calcium concentra-tion. Also, a decrease in sodium concentra-tion and an increase in potassium concen-tration were observed during pregnancy in both submaxillary and parotid glands; the change was more significant in the submax-illary gland. Estrogen production was pos