Fenugreek and Vitamin D Promote Reproductive Health

Fenugreek increased libido in healthy women

Fenugreek contains many of the B-complex vitamins, soluble and insoluble fibers, and iron. In this study, 48 healthy menstruating women, aged 20 to 48, took a placebo or 250 mg of fenugreek twice per day. Doctors used the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) to assess symptoms in three areas: hot flushes, heart, sleep, muscle and joint symptoms; mood, irritability, anxiety, and fatigue; and reproductive difficulties including libido, activity, and satisfaction, and urinary and vaginal symptoms.

After 43 days, those taking fenugreek saw a 40.38 percent improvement in MRS scores compared to 16 percent for placebo, covering all three symptom areas. Individual symptom scores revealed 41.7 percent of those taking fenugreek had fewer sexual problems compared to 18.18 percent for placebo. Estradiol, total and free testosterone also increased for those taking fenugreek.

Reference: Clinical Phytoscience; 2021, Vol. 7, Article No. 63

Vitamin D reduced painful menses

Vitamin D may ease menstrual pain. In this study, doctors measured vitamin D levels in 116 healthy women, aged 18 to 32, with regular menstrual cycles. Participants took a placebo or 50,000 IU of vitamin D once per week.

After eight weeks, vitamin D levels increased to 37 from 20 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/mL) in the vitamin D group, with no change for placebo. While there was little change for placebo, pain intensity declined steadily through eight weeks for vitamin D. Painful days fell by 50 percent, to one day from two at the start of the study, requiring less pain medication. Headache and diarrhea also decreased for vitamin D.

Reference: Obstetrics & Gynecology Science 2021, Vol. 64, No. 4, 353-63