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Randomised trial, 2021

Does exercise and fennel reduce PMS symptoms in adolescent girls?

Yes, both exercise and fennel reduced mood and physical symptoms, and the combination was most effective.

Moderate study design 40 inactive adolescent girls with PMS in Shiraz, Iran

What they did

Randomized controlled trial with 40 inactive adolescent girls with PMS in Shiraz, Iran, divided into four groups. One group did elastic training (3 sessions of 45 minutes per week for 8 weeks), another took fennel drops (2%, 30 drops every 12 hours for 2 months), one did both, and one was control. Symptoms were assessed before and after using a premenstrual symptom screening questionnaire.

What they found

Elastic training and fennel consumption both reduced PMS symptoms compared to control. The combined treatment was most effective, reducing physical symptoms to 3.14 and behavioral symptoms to 5.23 compared to control values of 15.50 and 16.50 respectively.

What it means for you

Both exercise and fennel help with PMS symptoms in adolescent girls, and using them together works better than either alone. Study is small and limited to one location.

40

Adolescent girls with PMS

8 weeks

Duration of exercise training

3.14

Physical symptom score in combined group

About the study

Original title
Effects of an Eight-week Elastic Training and Foeniculum Vulgare Consumption on Premenstrual Syndrome in Adolescent Girls: a Randomised Clinical Trial
Authors
Maryam Kasraeian, Forouzan Esmaielzadeh, Giti Hozhabrian et al.
Journal
DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals)
Year
2021
Study design
Randomised trial
Participants
40
What was tested
Eight-week elastic training (3 sessions, 45 minutes per week) and/or fennel drops (2%, 30 drops every 12 hours for 2 months)
Open access
Yes

Topics