Nutraceuticals: A Potential Therapeutic Approach Using Natural Ingredients Towards Relieving Menstrual Pain among Young Bangladeshi Women
Sumaiya Nowshin Monisha *
Department of Food and Nutrition, Government College of Applied Human Science, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Kazi Selim Anwar
Human Research Development Centre (HDRC), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Tania Ferdous
Department of Food and Nutrition, Government College of Applied Human Science, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Faisal M Ahamed
Human Research Development Centre (HDRC), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Introduction: Nutraceuticals are substances considered as foods/parts of foods that provide medical and health benefits in terms of disease prevention and treatment. Nutraceutical is generally extracted from herbal products, matched with dietary supplements and diet-specific nutrients, and reduce dysmenorrhea and menstrual cramping. Asia has a profound history of using nutraceuticals for many remedies. Especially, Iranian ethnobotany and Chinese herbal medicine have been used for treating primary dysmenorrhea for centuries.
Objective: To assess perceived knowledge, attitude and common practices among young women on using nutraceuticals as predefined food or herbs, assuming they are effective pain relievers during menstrual cramps.
Methods and Materials: This observational study explored the knowledge, attitudinal trend, and practice level (KAP) of nutraceuticals used by 130 randomly selected girls from 18-25 years old suffering from regular/recurrent menstrual pain. Data were randomly collected from four women's colleges in Dhaka city using a pre-tested close-ended questionnaire between November 2022 to January 2023, with written consent.
Data Analysis Plan: Primary data were recorded, cross-checked, and entered into SPSS version 22. A P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Of the 130 participants, most were between 21 and 26 years of age, and most (68.5%) were graduate. Among them, half (51.5%) had moderate, and 31.5% had severe menstrual cramping. There was no association between being overweight and having a menstrual cramp (p=0.63). Almost 30% (n=38) of participants reportedly took some herbal medicines and/or nutraceuticals to relieve their menstrual pain. While 36 strongly believed that taking herbal remedies in their primary dysmenorrhea gave them relief from pain than those who did not (p>0.001).
Conclusion: The study found a plausible association between taking nutraceuticals during primary dysmenorrhea or menstrual cramping and getting better relief.
Keywords: Menstrual cramping, dysmenorrhea, herbal medicine, nutraceuticals, ginger, chamomile