Fennel Confirmed as a Treatment for the Relief of Post-Menopause Symptoms

Fennel, a regularly used herb for cooking, has a long history of reported health benefits, covering a myriad of health issues.  It has been known to be used to treat everything from digestive problems to pre-menstrual symptoms. New scientific research has recently confirmed that it is also effective for treating postmenopausal symptoms, as well.  These symptoms are experienced by many women and include such things as hot-flashes, insomnia, mood problems, and vaginal dryness.  An important note is that fennel has been shown to treat these issues without causing any serious, negative side effects. The results of the research are published online in Menopause, the Journal of The North American Menopause Society (NAMS).

The most widely-reported negative symptoms of menopause that are experienced by women are hot-flashes, vaginal dryness, sore and painful joints, insomnia and other sleep problems, fatigue, and mood-related issues.

The use of alternative medicines and therapies for the treatment of menopause-related issues has exploded recently, as more and more women have tried to find safe and effective alternatives to hormone therapy (HT). And although hormone therapy is generally considered the best treatment for relief from symptoms, some women have turned to alternative and herbal medicines since they may not be good candidates for HT, or may be anxious regarding the potential negative side effects of hormone therapy that they've heard about.

Fennel, which contains essential oils, has what are known as "phytoestrogenic properties."  These are attributes of particular chemicals found in plants that have been been used for managing a myriad of menopause symptoms.

The research study consisted of 79 participants who were Iranian women ranging from 45 to 60 years old.  The study participants received 100mg of fennel-containing capsules twice a day for a period of 8 weeks. The researchers compared the results between the treated and placebo groups at various intervals throughout the study.  A substantial statistical difference in the effects on the two groups was confirmed by the researchers.  It was concluded that fennel was both safe and effective for the relief of symptoms, and also resulted in no serious negative side-effects.  Fennel had also been previously studied and reported to have been successful for the management of premenopause symptoms.

The research was conducted in Iran, where the population of women generally enter menopause at a younger age than in the US and other western nations.  The average age for entering menopause in the US is 48.2 years old, versus 51 years old in Iran.

There are also a number of other herbal remedies for treating menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats.