Research Publications on Zinc for Menstrual Health
These studies demonstrate the effectiveness of zinc sulfate and zinc supplementation in alleviating symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) in young women and female university students. Zinc supplementation can improve both physical and psychological PMS symptoms, enhances quality of life, and may offer anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antidepressant benefits, indicating their potential as cost-effective treatments for these conditions.
Comparison of the effect of ginger and zinc sulfate on primary dysmenorrhea: a placebo-controlled randomized trial; Pain Manag Nurs., 2014; Link
This randomized trial aimed to assess the efficacy of ginger and zinc sulfate compared to a placebo in alleviating the severity of primary dysmenorrhea among young women. The study involved 150 high school students who were divided into three groups to receive either ginger capsules, zinc sulfate capsules, or placebo capsules for four days, starting the day before the onset of menstruation until the third day of menstrual bleeding. The severity of dysmenorrhea was measured every 24 hours using the pain visual analog scale. Results showed that both ginger and zinc sulfate significantly reduced pain severity compared to the placebo, with both treatments having similar effectiveness in improving the symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea. This indicates that ginger and zinc sulfate can serve as effective treatments for managing pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea in young women.
The Effect of Zinc Supplementation on the Improvement of Premenstrual Symptoms in Female University Students: a Randomized Clinical Trial Study; Biological Trace Element Research, 2023; Link
This study aimed to assess the impact of zinc supplementation on premenstrual symptoms among female university students compared to a placebo. In this triple-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 69 students aged 18-35 with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), residing in dormitories at Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in Iran, were evenly divided into two groups. One group received 220 mg of elemental zinc daily for 24 weeks, while the control group was given a placebo. The evaluation of PMS was conducted using the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool-Adolescent (PSST-A) questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 16, employing Chi-square and t-student tests to compare outcomes between the groups. Results showed significant improvements in both physical and psychological symptoms of PMS in the zinc group compared to the placebo, including reductions in anger, anxiety, depression, overeating, breast tenderness, headaches, muscle pain, bloating, and weight gain. Additionally, relationships with friends, classmates, and coworkers significantly improved in the zinc group. The findings suggest zinc supplementation as a potential, cost-effective treatment for alleviating PMS symptoms, although further research is needed to confirm these results.
Effect of zinc sulfate supplementation on premenstrual syndrome and health-related quality of life: Clinical randomized controlled trial; The Journal Of Obstetrics And Gynaecology Research, 2017; Link
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of zinc sulfate (ZS) supplementation on premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms and health-related quality of life (QoL) in women aged 20-35. Conducted as a double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 142 women with PMS were divided into two groups to receive either 220-mg ZS capsules, containing 50 mg elemental zinc, from the 16th day of their menstrual cycle until the second day of the next cycle, or a placebo. The effectiveness of the treatment was measured using the Premenstrual Symptoms Screening Tool (PSST) and the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey Questionnaire. Results showed a significant decrease in moderate to severe PMS prevalence in the ZS group over three months, with noticeable improvements in PSST scores and both physical and mental components of QoL. However, significant QoL improvements were only observed three months post-intervention. This suggests that zinc sulfate could be an effective, low-cost treatment for PMS symptoms and enhancing health-related QoL, although further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Physical and Psychological Symptoms, Biomarkers of Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Young Women with Premenstrual Syndrome: a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial; Biological Trace Element Research, 2020; Link
This study investigates the impact of zinc supplementation on young women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), focusing on its potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antidepressant benefits. Conducted as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 60 women aged 18-30 diagnosed with PMS were divided into two groups to receive either 30 mg of zinc gluconate or a placebo for 12 weeks. Results showed that zinc supplementation significantly reduced both physical and psychological PMS symptoms, increased total antioxidant capacity and brain-derived neurotrophic factor, but had no significant effect on high sensitivity reactive protein. The findings suggest that 12 weeks of zinc supplementation can have beneficial effects on PMS symptoms, antioxidant capacity, and neurotrophic factors in young women.
