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Women hoping to quit smoking should time giving up for immediately before their period, according to new research.

Those hoping to kick the habit have a better chance of overcoming the urge to light up during the mid-luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, which takes place after ovulation.

And the research suggests that women find it harder to give up than men because of their menstrual cycle.

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According to research, the best time for women to quit smoking is immediately before their period. File photo

They may find it harder to kick the habit at the start of the follicular phase - which begins after menstruation - according to data revealed by the University of Montreal and its affiliated Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal.

The findings, published in Psychiatry Journal and carried out by Professor Adrianna Mendrek, are the result of tests on 34 women and men who each smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day.

As well as questionnaires, they underwent MRI brain scans taken as they looked at either neutral pictures or pictures designed to make them crave a cigarette.

Women were scanned twice at different stages of the menstrual cycle, and they also had oestrogene and progesterone levels recorded.

'Taking the menstrual cycle into consideration could help women to stop smoking,' Professor Mendrek said.

'Our data reveal that incontrollable urges to smoke are stronger at the beginning of the follicular phase that begins after menstruation.

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According to the University of Montreal study, women may find it harder to kick the habit at the start of the follicular phase - which begins after menstruation. File photo

'Hormonal decreases of oestrogen and progesterone possibly deepen the withdrawal syndrome and increase activity of neural circuits associated with craving.'

Professor Mendrek's team say that women who smoke could have a harder time quitting than men because some tests have revealed stark sex differences.

'Female rats become addicted more quickly, and are willing to work harder for the same quantity of dose,' Mendrek explained.

However she added: 'Stress, anxiety and depression are probably the more important factors to take into consideration. Having said that, amongst young people, tobacco use by women is unfortunately increasing.'

It is hoped the findings will encourage researchers to pay greater attention to biology. 

'A greater knowledge of the neurobiological mechanisms governing addiction should enable us to better target treatment according to the smokers profile,' Professor Mendrek said.

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