Year: 2015 | Month: December | Volume 4 | Issue 4
Incorporation of Fenugreek and Sesame Seeds for Alleviation of Menopausal Symptoms
Abstract:
The study was designed to evaluate the effect of phytoestrogen rich foods to improve menopausal dietary quality in alleviating menopausal symptoms. A total of n=1000 women (aged 35-48 years) were scanned. Of these, a sub sample of n=30 women, based on their severity of menopause rating scale (was obtained from the Professor Heinemann from Center of Epidemiology and Health Studies in Berlin) were purposively enrolled. To these subjects nutrition health education (NHE) was provided for 2 months (reinforced at 15 days interval), focused on sources of phytoestrogen and importance of consumption of phytoestrogen rich foods. Before and after NHE intervention data was collected for serum level of gonadotropin hormones (FSH and LH) estimation and menopause rating scale. The study revealed that in urban Vadodara 17.1% had menopause related symptoms. The baseline data for women in perimenopause state (n=30) showed the 24% were obese, 20% were overweight, 8% were undernourished. After intervention daily consumption pattern of phytoestrogen foods has increased from 6.9% to 15.2%; and that for the fenugreek seeds increased from 12% to 24% and for sesame seeds increased from 11.5% to 48%. The menopause rating scale was reduced from 0-32 to 0-17 after intervention. The improvement in consumption pattern of phytoestrogen foods has effectively shown significant reduction in the severity of symptoms for forgetfulness, swelling and weight fluctuation (p=0.01). The results of serum gonadotropin estimation showed that mean FSH was reduced from 18.03±5.01 to 10.95±3.55 and mean LH from 19.95±4.92 to 14.1±4.55, though this was not up to a satisfactory level. Phytoestrogens being nonsteroidal compounds with estrogenic activity showed a significant reduction in alleviating menopausal symptoms.
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