Comparison of the effect of vitamin E, vitamin D and ginger on the severity of primary dysmenorrhea: a single-blind clinical trial

• Main Authors: Hamideh Pakniat, Venus Chegini, Fatemeh Ranjkesh, Mohammad Ali Hosseini
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2019-11-01
• Series: Obstetrics & Gynecology Science
• Subjects: ginger; dysmenorrhea; menstrual cycle; vitamin e; vitamin d
• Online Access: http://ogscience.org/upload/pdf/ogs-62-462.pdf
• ISSN: 2287-8572; 2287-8580

ObjectiveDysmenorrhea is one of the most common problems for women, especially during their reproductive age. Various studies have examined the effects of vitamins D and E and ginger supplements. This study aimed to investigate the individual effects of each of these supplements on dysmenorrhea.MethodsThis single-blind clinical trial was conducted in 2016 on students aged 18 to 25 years who complained of mild to severe dysmenorrhea. The participants were randomly assigned into 4 groups: vitamin D, vitamin E, ginger, and placebo. The effects of the supplements on the severity of dysmenorrhea were evaluated in 2 successive cycles using the visual analog scale (VAS) and a questionnaire.ResultsInitially, 240 female students were enrolled in the study; thereafter, 40 students were excluded from the study owing to follow-up loss. The average VAS score for dysmenorrhea in the entire study population was 7.13±0.80 before the intervention; the mean VAS score after the first and second months of supplement use was 5.37±1.51 and 4.93±1.48, respectively. The highest reduction in pain severity was observed in the ginger group (F=74.54, P<0.001).ConclusionVitamin D, vitamin E, and ginger significantly reduced the severity of dysmenorrhea, with ginger having the most significant effect followed by vitamin D and vitamin E. Given the low risk of these supplements, more studies must be conducted on their use as opposed to analgesics.