A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) on menopausal symptoms: A high placebo response

Journal of the Turkish German Gynecological Association
Masumeh GhazanfarpourHassan Rakhshanded

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of oral fennel on menopausal symptoms. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted on 50 postmenopausal women in Mashhad (Iran). Patients were randomly divided into two groups of fennel (n=25) and placebo (n=25). Measurements were performed at baseline and after three months using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire. Both placebo and treatment groups revealed significant improvements in the hot flush score (p<0.001 for fennel and p<0.01 for placebo), night sweats (p=0.007 for fennel and p<0.01 for placebo), sweating (p=0.002 for fennel and p<0.01 for placebo), symptoms of anxiety (p=0.05 for fennel and p=0.001 for placebo), feeling depressed (p<0.01 for fennel and p=0.006 for placebo), and impatience with other people (p<0.01 for fennel and p=0.003 for placebo). There were no significant differences in any menopausal symptoms between the fennel and placebo groups, except for coughing and sneezing when urinating (p=0.03). The failure to indicate a significant effect may have been caused by a high placebo response. It is suggested that future trials should include a placebo run-in phase or design a sequential, parallel study with larger sa...Continue Reading

Citations

May 14, 2019·Journal of Menopausal Medicine·Mohaddese Mahboubi
Mar 13, 2021·Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : ECAM·Sousan HafiziMalihe Tabarrai
Mar 17, 2021·Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice·Hye Won LeeMyeong Soo Lee

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
hormone replacement therapy

Software Mentioned

SPSS

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Anxiety Disorders

Discover the latest research on anxiety disorders including agoraphobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder here.