Monday, January 23, 2017

Ginger and Menstrual Cramping


 
An article published in the April 2016 issue of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine looked at the efficacy of ginger in addressing menstrual cramping (dysmenorrhea).  The article by Chen, Barrett, and Kwekkeboom reviewed 6 different trials comparing ginger against either placebo or NSAID (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - mefenamic acid and ibuprofen) in managing menstrual cramping.  In all the studies, participants were either high school or college students and the majority (5 out of 6) of the studies included only women with moderate to severe menstrual cramping.  The ginger dosed was in a powdered (encapsulated) form and the dosages ranged from 750 mg - 2000 mg per day.  The timing of the ginger dosing varied from 2 days prior to the menstrual cycle starting until cramping subsided with the average dose being for 3 days (the first 3 days of the menstrual cycle).  In the different studies, participants rated their menstrual cramping pain using a number of different scales.  In all studies involving a placebo, it was found that ginger was more effective in reducing menstrual cramping than placebo.  In the studies comparing ginger to NSAIDS, ginger and NSAIDS were found to be equally as effective in reducing menstrual cramping.  For many women, menstrual cramping support/medication needs to be dosed several times during the period and NSAIDS can place significant stress on the body when used on a regular basis (the main concerns include stress on the stomach mucous membranes and stress on the liver).  Alternatively, ginger is a very safe and gentle herb that is generally quite easy on the system.  With these studies showing that ginger offers the same level of support as NSAIDS for menstrual cramping, it is a therapeutic worth considering for menstrual pain management.

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