EFFECT OF FLAX SEED IN POST-MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOM REDUCTION IN COMPARISON TO MEDICAL TREATMENT
Main Article Content
Keywords
menopause, Flax seed, SSRI.
Abstract
Background: Menopause is a natural phenomenon that women must undergo usually after the age of 50. Most of the female population faces post-menopausal symptoms for which they are usually prescribed hormone replacement therapy. However, side effects of allopathic treatment are common.
Objective: The present study focuses on assessing the impact of flax seeds on post-menopausal symptoms and comparing it with the standard allopathic treatment that is usually prescribed.
Method: The study comprises 120 patients who were enrolled in the gynaecology department of tertiary care hospital. They were randomly divided into 4 groups each comprising 30 patients. Group 1 was labelled as control, Group II was given Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, and Group III was treated with Hormone replacement therapy whereas Group IV was administered Flax seeds. Baseline and 3 months post-treatment blood levels of FSH and estradiol were done. Dexa scan was also performed. SPSS 26 was used for analyzing the data.
Results: The results showed a highly significant effect of flax seeds in reducing the post-menopausal symptoms compared to the control group. The effects were comparable with the HRT therapy.
Conclusion: Our study concluded that Flax seeds could be used in post-menopausal women to reduce their symptoms and they would be as efficacious as other allopathic therapies.
References
2. HO, C. H., CACACE, J. E. & MAZZA, G. 2007. Extraction of lignans, proteins and carbohydrates from flaxseed meal with pressurized low polarity water. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 40, 1637-1647.
3. KAJLA, P., SHARMA, A. & SOOD, D. R. 2015. Flaxseed—a potential functional food source. Journal of food science and technology, 52, 1857-1871.
4. KAUR, P., SHARMA, P., KUMAR, V., PANGHAL, A., KAUR, J. & GAT, Y. 2019. Effect of addition of flaxseed flour on phytochemical, physicochemical, nutritional, and textural properties of cookies. Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 18, 372-377.
5. KHOSLA, S. & PACIFICI, R. 2021. Estrogen deficiency and the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Marcus and Feldman's Osteoporosis. Elsevier.
6. KITTNAR, O. 2020. Selected sex related differences in pathophysiology of cardiovascular system. Physiological research, 69, 21-31.
7. MARPALLE, P., SONAWANE, S. K., LEBLANC, J. & ARYA, S. 2015. Nutritional characterization and oxidative stability of α-linolenic acid in bread containing roasted ground flaxseed. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 61, 510-515.
8. MONTELEONE, P., MASCAGNI, G., GIANNINI, A., GENAZZANI, A. R. & SIMONCINI, T. 2018. Symptoms of menopause—global prevalence, physiology and implications. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 14, 199-215.
9. NAUMOVA, I. & CASTELO-BRANCO, C. 2018. Current treatment options for postmenopausal vaginal atrophy. International journal of women's health, 10, 387.
10. PURI, M., SHARMA, D. & BARROW, C. J. 2012. Enzyme-assisted extraction of bioactives from plants. Trends in biotechnology, 30, 37-44.
11. TAN, Z.-J., WANG, C.-Y., YANG, Z.-Z., YI, Y.-J., WANG, H.-Y., ZHOU, W.-L. & LI, F.-F. 2015. Ionic liquid-based ultrasonic-assisted extraction of secoisolariciresinol diglucoside from flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) with further purification by an aqueous two-phase system. Molecules, 20, 17929-17943.
12. TIRGAR, M., SILCOCK, P., CARNE, A. & BIRCH, E. J. 2017. Effect of extraction method on functional properties of flaxseed protein concentrates. Food chemistry, 215, 417-424.
13. VELLANKI, K. & HOU, S. 2018. Menopause in CKD. American Journal of Kidney Diseases, 71, 710-719.
14. BANSAL, R. & AGGARWAL, N. 2019. Menopausal hot flashes: a concise review. Journal of mid-life health, 10, 6.
15. BARTON, D. L., LOPRINZI, C. L., NOVOTNY, P., SHANAFELT, T., SLOAN, J., WAHNER-ROEDLER, D., RUMMANS, T. A., CHRISTENSEN, B., DAKHILL, S. R. & MARTIN, L. S. 2003. Pilot evaluation of citalopram for the relief of hot flashes. J Support Oncol, 1, 47-51.
16. ETTINGER, B. 1988. Prevention of osteoporosis: treatment of estradiol deficiency. Obstetrics and gynecology, 72, 12S-17S.
17. FANTASIA, H. C. & SUTHERLAND, M. A. 2014. Hormone therapy for the management of menopause symptoms. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 43, 226-235.
18. HIRSCHFELD, R. M. 2003. Long-term side effects of SSRIs: sexual dysfunction and weight gain. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 64, 20-24.
19. LEWIS, J. E., NICKELL, L. A., THOMPSON, L. U., SZALAI, J. P., KISS, A. & HILDITCH, J. R. 2006. A randomized controlled trial of the effect of dietary soy and flaxseed muffins on quality of life and hot flashes during menopause. Menopause, 13, 631-642.
20. MONTELEONE, P., MASCAGNI, G., GIANNINI, A., GENAZZANI, A. R. & SIMONCINI, T. 2018. Symptoms of menopause—global prevalence, physiology and implications. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 14, 199-215.
21. MUIR, A. D. & WESTCOTT, N. D. 2003. Flaxseed constituents and human health. Flax. CRC Press.
22. PINKERTON, J. V. 2020. Hormone therapy for postmenopausal women. New England Journal of Medicine, 382, 446-455.
23. PRUTHI, S., QIN, R., TERSTREIP, S. A., LIU, H., LOPRINZI, C. L., SHAH, T. R., TUCKER, K. F., DAKHIL, S. R., BURY, M. J. & CAROLLA, R. L. 2012. A phase III, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of flaxseed for the treatment of hot flashes: NCCTG N08C7. Menopause (New York, NY), 19, 48.
24. STUBBS, C., MATTINGLY, L., CRAWFORD, S. A., WICKERSHAM, E. A., BROCKHAUS, J. L. & MCCARTHY, L. H. 2017. Do SSRIs and SNRIs reduce the frequency and/or severity of hot flashes in menopausal women. The Journal of the Oklahoma State Medical Association, 110, 272.