Fennel Improves Women’s Quality of Life by Reducing Menopause Symptoms

An increased life expectancy means that many women will spend from one-third to one-half of their lifetime in postmenopause.¹ Considering that many symptoms may persists for even a decade after menopause, the quality of life of many women might be significantly reduced.

Fennel is known to benefit women's health, including relieving menstrual cramps and boosting sexual function. This study was conducted to assess the effects of fennel on menopause symptoms and the quality of life in women going through the transition.

The Study

For this clinical trial, researchers recruited 90 postmenopausal women, between the ages of 45 and 60. They all reported various menopause symptoms.

Women were split into two groups: the fennel group receiving oral soft capsules with 100 mg of fennel and the placebo group receiving placebo capsules with 100 mg of sunflower oil. The intervention lasted for eight weeks.

Using Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaires, researchers evaluated the effects of fennel on participants' quality of life and its four aspects, including vasomotor, socio-psychological, physical, and sexual aspects. 

The Results

Women taking fennel capsules showed significantly improved scores for quality of life and all four of its aspects.

While participants in the placebo group also had improvements in most tested aspects (except for the vasomotor symptoms), they were not as significant as those in the fennel group. Researchers point out that these changes may be due to the placebo effect.

No serious side effects were reported during the trial.

What Does this Mean?

The results of this clinical trial have shown that fennel can alleviate menopause symptoms, which is likely attributable to its phytoestrogens. Fennel not only helps reduce pesky symptoms and improve quality of life, but it does so without causing side effects.

Having access to safe and natural options for symptom relief during the transition is of tremendous help to menopausal women, especially those trying to avoid the health risks of hormone replacement therapy, or HRT.

Other herbs capable of alleviating menopausal discomforts are maca, black cohosh, and soy.