Effect of Powder of Flaxseed on Hot flashes in Women at the Climacteric

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Lecturer, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad Universityof Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

2 MSc of Midwifery, Emam Reza Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Women's Health Research Center, Department of ObstetricsandGynecology Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

4 Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

5 Associate Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Vasomotor flashes are one of the most common complaints in climacteric women. Currently, Hormone therapy is the gold standard for treatment of it but various studies have reported serious risks even in short-term use. Interest in plants source for treatment of hot flash has grown recently. Flaxseed is a rich source of lignans and many women are more inclined to use it, but literature on effect of flaxseed is rather limited. Objective of this study was to evaluate effect of 6-weeks consumption of flaxseed on vasomotor flashes in climacteric women.
 
Methods: In this double-blind randomized cross-over study 62 women aged at least 41 years with five moderate to severe flashes and other eligibility, were randomly assigned in two groups (n=31). Intervention was two 6-week periods (washout: 2 weeks) and consumption 40 (g) flaxseed powder or placebo twice daily. Participants filled out daily hot flash diary and night sweat diary during the study. Weekly mean of each variable, separately were measured by adding the points during a week and was divided on days that diary had been filled in same week. Outcomes were measured changes from baseline to the average for all follow-up regarding mean of each variable. Data were analyzed by, paired t-test, Wilcoxon and RANOVA using SPSS software.
 
Results: Data analyzing (n=46) showed statically significant reduction in the mean changes of severity and duration of flashes, night sweat severity and sleep disturbances with flaxseed comparing placebo (p<0.009, p= 0.045, p=0/005, p=0/028 respectively).There were no significant reduction in frequency of hot flashes and night sweats but repeated measurement of ANOVA showed statistically significant reduction in mean of frequency of hot flashes and night sweats during 6 week intervention with flaxseed compared to placebo in women with 5-7 daily flushes and ≤ 2 night sweats, respectively (p<0.001).
 
Conclusion: Regarding the result of this study, 6-week consumption of flaxseed powder may be effective in reduction of vasomotor symptoms, especially for women with moderate vasomotor symptoms compared to women with more and sever symptoms.
 

Keywords


1. Ryan KJ. Kistner Gynecology and Woman's H ealth.7 th ed. New York : Mosby; 1999. P.540­5.
2. Davy DA. The menopause and climacteric. In: Whitfield Ch.R, editors. Dewhurst's textbook of Obstetrics  and Gynecology for postgraduates. 5th ed. New York: Blackwell Science ;1995:P. 606­17.
3. Guttuso Th, Kurlan  R, Mc Dermott MP, Kieburtz K. Gabapentin’s  Effects  on  Hot flashes  in  postmenopausal Women: a randomized control trial. Obstet Gynecol 2003;101(2):337­45.
 
4. Mahady GB, Parrot J, Lee  C. Botanical dietary  supplement use  in peri­and  postmenopausal women. menopause 2003;10(1):65­72.
5. Penotti M, Fabio E, Modena A, Rinaldi M, Omodei U, Vigano P. Effect of soy­derived isoflavones on hot
flushes, endometrial thickness, and the pulsatility index of the uterine and cerebral arteries. Fertil and Steril
2003;79(5):1112­7.
6. Shojaeean z. Effect of hormone  therapy on  depression in  menopausal women  (Dissertation). Mashhad:
Mashhad University of Medical Science; 2004. (Text in Persian).
7. Tabatabaee A. Evaluation the mean age of menopause and rate of using hormone therapy in menopausal women in Yazd. J Yazd university of medical science spring 2000;8(1):33.
8. Cooling off hot flashes, Uncoupling of the circadian pattern  of core  body temperature and hot flash 
frequency in breast cancer survivors [Editorial]. Menopause 2004;11(4):369­71.
9. Newton  KM,  Reed  SD , Lacriox  AZ,  Grothaus  LC, Ehrlich, and  Guiltinan J. Treatment of vasomotor symptoms of menopause with Black Cohosh, multibotanicals, Soy, Hormontherapy, or placebo. Annals of
Internal Medicine 2006;145:869­79.
10. Taylor M. Botanicalls: Medicines and menopause. Clin Obstet Gynecol 2001;44(4):853­63.
11. Allameh T, Adabi P. Evaluation mean age of menopause and relationship between it and different factors in 
Esfahan. J Isfahan university of medical science winter1995;7(4):12­15.
12. Evanns WC. Trease and Evans pharmacognosy.15 th ed. Edinburg: W.B. Saunders; 2002: P.246­252.
13. Acupuncture for hot flashes [Editorial]. Menopause 2007;14(1):10­13.
14. Sadighi j,Maftoun F,Moshrefi M. Complementary and Alternative Medicine(CAM);Knowledge, Attitude 
and Practice in Thehran, Iran. Payesh October 2004;3(4):279­89.
15. Lewis JE, Nickell MD, Thompson LU, Szalai JP, Kiss A, Hilditch JR et al. A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effect of Dietary Soy and Flaxseed Muffins on Quality of Life and Hot flashes During Menopause. Menopause 2006; 13(4):631­42.
16. Brooks JD, Ward WE, Lewis JE, Hilditch J, Nickell L, Wong E, and et al. Supplementation With flaxseed 
alters estrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women to a greater extent than doses supplementation with  an equal amount of soy. Am J clin nutr 2004;79:318­25.
17. Lemay A ,Dodine  S  ,Kadri N, Jacques  H, Forest J. Flaxseed Dietary Supplement Versus  Hormone  Replacement Therapy in Hypercholesterolemic Menopausal Women. Obstet Gynecol 2002;100(3):495­504.
18. Pruthi S, Thompson SL, Novotny PJ, Barton DL, Kottschade LA, Tan AD, al. Pilot Evaluation of Flaxseed 
for the Management of Hot Flashes. J Soc Integr Oncol 2007;5(3):106­12.
19. Heyerick  A, vervarcke  S. Depypere  H, Bracke H, bracke M, Keukeleire  DD. A first prospective,
randomized, double­blind, placebo–controlled study on the use of a standardized hop extract to alleviate  menopausal discomforts. Maturitas May 2006;54(2):164­74.
20. Frei–Kleiner S, Schaffner W, Rahlfs VW, Bodmer Ch, Birkhauser M. Cimicifuga racemosa dried ethanolic  extract in menopausal disorders: a double  –  blind placebo–controlled clinical trial. Maturitas 2005;
51(4):397–404.
21. Nikander E, Kilkkinen A, Mesta – Heikikila M, Adlercreutz H, Pietinen P, Tiitinen A, and et al. A Randomized 
placebo­ controlled cross over trial with phytoestrogensin treatment of menopause in Breast Cancer patients. Obstet
Gynecol 2003; 101(6):1213–20.
22. Shanafelt TD,Barton DL,Adjei AA,and Loprinzi CL. Pathophysiology and treatment of hot flashes. Mayo Clin Proc  2002;77(11):1207­18.
23. Geller SE.Botanical and Dietary Supplements for Menopausal Symptoms: What Works, What Doesn't. J 
Womans Health (Larchmt) 2005;14(7):634­49.
24. Felming T. PDR for herbal medicines.3 rd ed. USA: Thompson;2004.P. 328­32.
25. Nesbitt PD, Lam Y, and Thompson L. Human metabolism of mammalian lignan  precursors in raw and 
processed flaxseed”. Am J clin Nutr 1999; 69(3): 549­55.
26. ESCOP Monographs: the scientific foundation for herbal medicine products. 2 nd ed. Exeter: Thieme; 2003. p.290­6.
27. Lissin LW, Cooke J.P. Phytoestrogenes and cardiovascular heath. J Am coll cardiol 2000; 6:1403­10.
28. Alder E.The Blat­Kupperman menopausal index: a critique. Maturitas 1998;29:19­24.
29. Brzezinski A, Adlercreuts  H, Shaoul R,Rosler A,Shmueli A,Tanos  et al. Short­term effect of
phytoestrogenes­rich diet on postmenopausal women. Menopause 1997;4(2):89­94.
 
30. Van Patten ChL, Olivotto IA, Chambers GK, Gelmon KA, Gregory Hislop T, Templeton E, et al. Effect of
soy Phytoestrogens on hot flashes in postmenopausal women with breast cancer: a randomized, controlled  clinical trial. J Clin Oncol 2002;20(6):1449­45.
31. Verhoven M, Vander mooren MJ, Van de weijer PHM, Verdegem PJE, Vander Burgt LMJ, Kenemans P. Effect of a combination of lsoflavones and Actaea racemosa Linnaeus on climacteric symptoms in healthy symptomatic  perimenopausal women: a  12­ week randomized, placebo–controlled, double­blind study. Menopause  2005;12(4):412­20.
32. Mckee J,Warber SL. Integrative therapies for menopause. South Med J 2005;98(3):319­26.
33. Abbaspour A, Hajikhani N.A, Afshari P. Effect of Vitex Agnus Castus on early menopausal symptoms in  post menopausal women. J Sabzevar School of Medical Science summer 2005;12(2):26­30.
34. Wuttke W, Raus K, Gorkow C. Efficacy and tolerability of the Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa) ethanolic  extract BNO 1055 on climacteric complaints: A double­blind, placebo­ and conjugated estrogens­controlled 
study. Maturitas 2006;55:S83­S91.