Concerning migraine, 42 % of patients experienced a reduction higher than 50 % in frequency of monthly attacks, and 57 % of patients experienced a reduction higher than 50 % in monthly days with headache. No patients reported remarkable side effects. Pending a placebo-controlled trial to confirm our results, we observed that the use of VAC in migrainous women affected by PMS resulted to be safe and well tolerated, and may positively influence the frequency and duration of migraine attacks.

Plasma ammonia accumulation was not significantly different between experimental conditions. These data confirm previous data showing that the ingestion of a low-CHO diet reduces the capacity to perform high-intensity exercise, but it appears that the metabolic acidosis induced by the low-CHO diet is not the cause of the reduced exercise capacity observed during high-intensity exercise under these conditions.

The mean age was 30.77 (SD=4.37) years in the active group and 30.89 (SD=4.02) years in the placebo group.Rank of variables had significantly difference in active and placebo group before and after the study (P<0.0001) also we noticed significant differences on the use of Vitex agnus in comparison with placebo (P<0.0001). Vitex agnus can be considered as an effective and well tolerated treatment for the relief of symptoms of mild and moderate PMS.

This study demonstrated that the VAC extract Ze 440 was effective in relieving symptoms of PMS, when applied in a dose of 20mg. Therefore, for patients suffering from PMS, 20mg Ze 440 should be the preferred daily dose.

VAC extract improved PMS symptoms in Japanese patients, with no substantial adverse events. This is the first study to report the effect of VAC extract in Japanese patients.

Vitex agnus castus is more effective than placebo in the treatment of moderate-to-severe PMS in Chinese women, especially in symptoms of negative effect and insomnia.

Maternal galactagogue herbal tea supplementation seems to be useful for enhancing breast milk production and facilitating infant birth weight regain in early postnatal days.

A 1.5-g calcium/day supplement did not prevent preeclampsia but did reduce its severity, maternal morbidity, and neonatal mortality, albeit these were secondary outcomes.

Calcium supplementation (≥ 1 g/day) is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of pre-eclampsia, particularly for women with low calcium diets. The treatment effect may be overestimated due to small-study effects or publication bias. It also reduces preterm birth and the occurrence of the composite outcome 'maternal death or serious morbidity'.

Calcium supplementation during pregnancy reduced the risk of preeclampsia and preterm birth in this nulliparous population. The available evidence for systematic review of all the randomized trials of calcium supplementation shows benefit in reducing the risk of hypertension and preeclampsia.

These risk factors should be of value in counseling women regarding preeclampsia and should aid in understanding the pathophysiologic characteristics of this syndrome.

Administration of low doses (25 mg) of DHEA positively modulates several endocrine parameters in early and late postmenopausal women, inducing the increase of the androgenic, estrogenic, and progestogenic milieu and reducing the climateric symptoms, similarly to estroprogestin replacement therapy. These data suggest that DHEA supplementation is a more effective replacement therapy than a simple "dietary supplement."

Androgen replacement therapy, with DHEA, to menopausal women increases serum androgen levels without any appreciable effect on muscle cross-sectional area, muscle strength, muscle function, or improvement in health-related QOL.

Chronic DHEA administration is capable of modifying circulating levels of androgens and progestins in both early and late postmenopausal women by modulating the age-related changes in adrenal function.

DHEA supplementation improved lower extremity strength and function in older, frail women involved in a gentle exercise program of chair aerobics or yoga. No changes were found in BMD either due to small sample size, short duration of study or no effect. The physical function findings are promising and require further evaluation as frail women are at high risk for falls and fracture.

DHEA supplementation in older women with cognitive impairment may have beneficial effects on cognitive function and ADL.

DHEA supplementation in older women, but not in men, improves spine BMD when co-administered with vitamin D and calcium. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00182975.

Patients were recruited from university employees attending for periodic health checks, with normal hepatic and renal function with endogenous DHEA-S level < 1500 ng/dl. Our results did not reveal any significant changes in study parameters, apart from a statistically significant increase in DHEA-S levels after therapy with active substance.

Serum concentrations of free and total testosterone, estrone, estradiol, estriol, lipids, and liver transaminases were unaffected by supplementation and training, while strength and lean body mass increased significantly and similarly (P < 0.05) in the men treated with placebo and DHEA. These results suggest that DHEA ingestion does not enhance serum testosterone concentrations or adaptations associated with resistance training in young men.

Stratifying the marker levels by age or baseline DHEA/DHEA-S levels did not affect the findings. We conclude that oral DHEA does not affect bone turnover in middle-aged to elderly men when used for a 6-month period at doses targeted to restore circulating levels of the steroid to that seen in young adults.

The results of this double-blind, randomized trial do not support the hypothesis that hormone replacement with DHEA and/or atamestane might improve the course of frailty.

This study shows that short-term treatment with DHEA increased platelet cGMP production, a marker of NO production, in healthy elderly subjects. This effect is coupled with a decrease in PAI-1 and LDL cholesterol levels as well as an increase in testosterone and E(2) levels. These findings, therefore, suggest that chronic DHEA supplementation would exert antiatherogenic effects, particularly in elderly subjects who display low circulating levels of this hormone.

Treatment with DHEA resulted in a significant increase of total testosterone, estradiol and DHEA-S levels in treated subjects versus the placebo group (P < 0.05). Results of this study suggest that DHEA supplementation has no beneficial effects on body composition in young competitive athletes.

Treatment with DHEA was associated with a progressive improvement of the Kupperman score in all groups, with major effects on the vasomotor symptoms in.

Twelve weeks of combined endurance and resistance training significantly improved body composition, physical performance, insulin sensitivity, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol particle number and size, whereas DHEA had no additional benefits.

Our findings indicate that several specific types of EBS might have important influences on a woman's various aspects of quality of life, but further verification is necessary.

In cancers of the lung, lip, oral cavity and pharynx, and liver, smokers with ginseng intake showed decreased odds ratios compared with smokers without ginseng intake. These findings support the view that ginseng intakers had a decreased risk for most cancers compared with nonintakers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS).

Oral administration of KRG extracts improved sexual arousal in menopausal women. Red ginseng extracts might be used as an alternative medicine in menopausal women to improve their sexual life.

RG could be an attractive herbal dietary supplement for relieving menopausal symptoms and conferring favorable effects on markers of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women.

The positive effects of ginseng on health-related QoL in menopausal women should be further investigated. This study shows, however, that the beneficial effects of ginseng are most likely not mediated by hormone replacement-like effects, as physiological parameters such as FSH and estradiol levels, endometrial thickness, maturity index and vaginal pH were not affected by the treatment.

Both metformin and MYO, can be considered as first line treatment for restoring normal menstrual cycles in most patients with PCOS, even if MYO treatment seems to be more effective than metformin.

MYO administration is a simple and safe treatment that ameliorates the metabolic profile of patients with PCOS, reducing hirsutism and acne.

Myo-inositol administration improves reproductive axis functioning in PCOS patients reducing the hyperinsulinemic state that affects LH secretion.

Myo-inositol is a simple and safe treatment that is capable of restoring spontaneous ovarian activity and consequently fertility in most patients with PCOS. This therapy did not cause multiple pregnancy.

Our data show that, in PCOS patients having a normal insulin response, myo-inositol treatment rather than D-chiro-inositol is able to improve oocyte and embryo quality during ovarian stimulation protocols.

Our findings suggest that the addition of myo-inositol to folic acid in non PCOS-patients undergoing multiple follicular stimulation for in-vitro fertilization may reduce the numbers of mature oocytes and the dosage of rFSH whilst maintaining clinical pregnancy rate. Further, a trend in favor of increased incidence of implantation in the group pretreated with myo-inositol was apparent in this study. Further investigations are warranted to clarify this pharmacological approach, and the benefit it may hold for patients.

PCOS patients suffer from a systemic inflammatory status that induces erythrocyte membrane alterations. Treatment with MYO is effective in reducing hormonal, metabolic, and oxidative abnormalities in PCOS patients by improving IR.

The combined administration of MI and DCI in physiological plasma ratio (40:1) should be considered as the first line approach in PCOS overweight patients, being able to reduce the metabolic and clinical alteration of PCOS and, therefore, reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome.

There was an inverse relationship between body mass and treatment efficacy. In fact a significant weight loss (and leptin reduction) (P < 0.01) was recorded in the myo-inositol group, whereas the placebo group actually increased weight (P < 0.05). These data support a beneficial effect of myo-inositol in women with oligomenorrhea and polycystic ovaries in improving ovarian function.

These data show that in patients with PCOS, treatment with myo-inositol and folic acid, but not folic acid alone, reduces germinal vesicles and degenerated oocytes at ovum pick-up without compromising total number of retrieved oocytes. This approach, reducing E(2) levels at hGC administration, could be adopted to decrease the risk of hyperstimulation in such patients.

These data suggest that myoinositol may be useful in the treatment of PCOS patients undergoing ovulation induction, both for its insulin-sensitizing activity, and its role in oocyte maturation.

These data support a beneficial effect of inositol in improving ovarian function in women with oligomenorrhea and polycystic ovaries.

Treatment of PCOS patients with Myo-inositol provided a decreasing of circulating insulin and serum total testosterone as well as an improvement in metabolic factors.

We conclude that, in lean women with the polycystic ovary syndrome, D-chiro-inositol reduces circulating insulin, decreases serum androgens, and ameliorates some of the metabolic abnormalities (increased blood pressure and hypertriglyceridemia) of syndrome X.

Consequently, in the control group the risk of GD occurrence was more than double compared to the myo-inositol group, with an odds ratio 2.4 (confidence interval 95%, 1.3-4.4). There was no difference between the groups in relation to secondary outcome measures. This study suggests a possible effect of myo-inositol in the primary prevention of GD in PCOS women.

Eleven female patients with PMDD diagnosed according to DSM-IV participated in a cross-over, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The active drug was myo-inositol, 12 g daily, whereas placebo was d-glucose administered at the same dose. Each drug was given during the luteal phase only (14 days prior to menses). For each patient treatment alternated between these two drugs for six menstrual cycles. No beneficial effect was demonstrated for inositol over placebo.

In the present study, by using a new pharmaceutical formulation, we were able to clearly prove the efficacy of myo-inositol in PMDD.

Myoinositol improves insulin resistance in patients with gestational diabetes.

No significant changes were observed in serum triglyceride, apolipoprotein B and lipoprotein(a) concentrations. Insulin resistance (P < 0.01), analysed by homeostasis model assessment, was reduced significantly after therapy. Administration of oral myo-inositol significantly reduced hirsutism and hyperandrogenism and ameliorated the abnormal metabolic profile of women with hirsutism.

Both dosages of Pueraria mirifica were similarly effective and safe in the treatment of menopausal symptoms.

PM, containing phytoestrogens, has estrogenic effect as similar as CEE, and can alleviate the climacteric symptoms in perimenopausal women. PM demonstrates great promise in the treatment of climacteric symptoms. However, optimal doses should be clinically assessed to meet appropriate individual responses.

Pueraria mirifica is relatively safe and preliminarily alleviates the climacteric symptoms in perimenopausal. women, but the data is insufficient to draw definite conclusions regarding the estrogenic effect.

Pueraria mirifica, containing phytoestrogens, relatively alleviated the climacteric symptoms in perimenopausal women. The transient negative profiles occurred in a small number of subjects that included anemia, and liver profiles. While there was a slight decrease in lipoproteins and an increase in hormonal profiles, Pueraria mirifica demonstrates great promise in the treatment of climacteric symptoms among perimenopausal women. However, optimal doses should be clinically assessed, to meet appropriate individual responses.

Pueraria mirifica was proven to exhibit estrogenicity on vaginal tissue, to alleviate vaginal dryness symptoms and dyspareunia, to improve signs of vaginal atrophy, and to restore the atrophic vaginal epithelium in healthy postmenopausal women.

The results of this study indicate the efficacy of C. sativus L. in the treatment of PMS. However, a tolerable adverse effects profile of saffron may well confirm the application of saffron as an alternative treatment for PMS. These results deserved further investigations.

The present findings support the existence of physiological and psychological effects of saffron odor in women. Our results indicate that saffron odor exert some effects in the treatment of PMS, dysmenorrhea and irregular menstruation. This is the first report to suggest that saffron odor may be effective in treating menstrual distress.

In line with our hypothesis, the concentration of sFlt-1 was significantly lower at 35 weeks in the Se-treated group than in the placebo group in participants in the lowest quartile of Se status at baseline (P= 0·039). None of the secondary outcome measures was significantly affected by treatment. The present finding that Se supplementation has the potential to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women of low Se status needs to be validated in an adequately powered trial.

Our findings indicate that selenium supplementation in pregnant women may be associated with a lower frequency of preeclampsia.

Supplementation with selenium significantly reduces the incidence of preeclampsia. However, more prospective clinical trials are required to assess the association between selenium supplementation and preeclampsia and to determine the dose, beginning time, and duration of selenium supplementation.

Black cohosh extract seems to be a reasonable treatment approach in tamoxifen treated breast cancer patients with predominantly psychovegetative symptoms.

Black cohosh used in isolation, or as part of a multibotanical regimen, shows little potential as an important therapy for relief of vasomotor symptoms.

Black cohosh was not significantly more efficacious than placebo against most menopausal symptoms, including number and intensity of hot flashes. Our study illustrates the feasibility and value of standard clinical trial methodology in assessing the efficacy and safety of herbal agents.

Compared with placebo, black cohosh and red clover did not reduce the number of vasomotor symptoms. Safety monitoring indicated that chemically and biologically standardized extracts of black cohosh and red clover were safe during daily administration for 12 months.

In conclusion our exercise program favorably affected bone, menopausal symptoms, lean body mass, and, to a smaller extent, 10-year CHD risk in early postmenopausal women. Adjuvant supplementation of CR did not enhance these positive effects.

Our study suggested that remifemin was one effective and safe agent to manage women with climacteric symptom. It has similar therapeutic effect and lower incidence of adverse effect when compared with tibolone.

Results indicate that a red clover (phytoestrogen) supplement or black cohosh has no effects on cognitive function. CEE/MPA reduces objective hot flashes but worsens some aspects of verbal memory.

The lack of endometrial proliferation and improvement of climacteric complaints as well as only few gynecologic organ-related adverse events are reported for the first time after a treatment period of 1 year. Due to the improved benefit:risk ratio, it must be assumed that the Cimicifuga racemosa special extract BNO 1055 is a safe alternative for treatment of climacteric complaints.

The results support the effectiveness and tolerability profiles of two Black cohosh-based therapies for menopausal symptoms in general practice. They were used differentially: the monotherapy for neurovegetative symptoms, the combination for patients with more pronounced mood complaints. The fixed combination of Black cohosh and St. John's wort was superior to Black cohosh alone in alleviating climacteric mood symptoms.

This clinical study confirmed previous results, which clearly indicate the efficacy and tolerability of this proprietary black cohosh extract (Remifemin) in addressing menopausal symptoms, particularly hot flashes.

This trial failed to provide any evidence that black cohosh reduced hot flashes more than the placebo.

Using data from seven trials, we calculated a combined estimate for the change in menopausal vasomotor symptoms. Preparations containing black cohosh improved these symptoms overall by 26% (95% confidence interval 11%-40%); there was, however, significant heterogeneity between these trials. Given that black cohosh is one of the most frequently used herbal medications for menopausal vasomotor symptoms in North America, more data are warranted on its effectiveness and safety.

We concluded that use of C. racemosa for 1 year by healthy postmenopausal women without evidence of liver disease does not seem to influence the liver.

Overall, taking chromium for 8 weeks among women with PCOS had beneficial effects on acne, hirsutism, hs-CRP, TAC, and MDA levels, but it did not affect endocrine profiles, NO, and GSH.

Supplementation with CoQ10 reduces the risk of developing pre-eclampsia in women at risk for the condition.

Ginger was as effective as mefenamic acid and ibuprofen in relieving pain in women with primary dysmenorrhea. Further studies regarding the effects of ginger on other symptoms associated with dysmenorrhea and efficacy and safety of various doses and treatment durations of ginger are warranted.

From 165 patients included, 143 observations were available. With a good acceptability, EGb 761 was effective against the congestive symptoms of PMS, particularly breast symptoms with a statistical significance between EGb 761 and placebo. Neuropsychological symptoms were also improved. EGb 761 is an alternative of interest to therapeutics already used in treating PMS or can be associated without any inconvenience.

G. biloba L. can reduce the severity of PMS symptoms. Further research on active ingredients and also the efficacy and safety of various doses and treatment durations of Ginkgo are required.

Overall, these results do not support the hypothesis that regular use of Ginkgo biloba reduces the risk of cancer.

Neptune Krill Oil can significantly reduce dysmenorrhea and the emotional symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and is shown to be significantly more effective for the complete management of premenstrual symptoms compared to omega-3 fish oil.

Higher scores reflected a greater severity of dysmenorrhea. Forty-four students volunteered to participate in the study. When the lavender massage and the placebo massage were compared, the visual analog scale score of the lavender massage was found to decrease at a statistically significant rate. This study showed that massage was effective in reducing dysmenorrhea. In addition, this study showed that the effect of aromatherapy massage on pain was higher than that of placebo massage.

In two terms of the ICI, "insentive" and "palpitatio", each of the mean score of the HE group was significantly lower than the placebo group. "Concentration", "irritating" and "anxious" tended to be lower than the placebo group. Our results show that HE intake has the possibility to reduce depression and anxiety and these results suggest a different mechanism from NGF-enhancing action of H. erinaceus.

Preliminary findings show that Lepidium meyenii (Maca) (3.5 g/d) reduces psychological symptoms, including anxiety and depression, and lowers measures of sexual dysfunction in postmenopausal women independent of estrogenic and androgenic activity.

We concluded that modified-release magnesium was effective in reducing premenstrual symptoms in women with PMS in this preliminary study.

Prophylactic peppermint gel in breastfeeding lactating women is associated with fewer nipple cracks and is more effective than lanolin and placebo. It could be recommended for preventing of nipple crack along with teaching better breastfeeding technique at the initiation of breastfeeding.

This study suggests that peppermint water is effective in the prevention of nipple pain and damage. Further studies are needed to assess the usefulness of peppermint water in conjunction with correct breastfeeding techniques.

Pycnogenol® significantly contributed to reduce signs and symptoms associated with menopausal transitions in women investigated in this study. Furthermore, Pycnogenol® improved the quality of life of most women and these benefits may be at least in part attributed to decreased oxidative stress levels.

The presented data suggest that Melbrosia may offer a potential alternative to hormone therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. However, because of this study's uncontrolled, open- label methodology, no cause-and-effect inferences can be drawn until a larger, longer-term, blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial is performed.

These differences were statistically significant (P less than 0.05). No adverse reactions were reported with the use of Danzen. Danzen is a safe and effective method for the treatment of breast engorgement.

Valerian can be effective in treatment of menopausal hot flash and that it can be considered as a treatment of choice for reduction of hot flashes among the women who are reluctant to receive hormone therapy due to fear or any other reason.

Valerian improves the quality of sleep in women with menopause who are experiencing insomnia. Findings from this study add support to the reported effectiveness of valerian in the clinical management of insomnia.

Valerian seems to be an effective treatment for dysmenorrhea, probably because of its antispasmodic effects.

Concomitantly, clinical variables in seminal plasma and blood serum were also improved over post therapy in infertile men. On the basis of these observations, it may be proposed that M. pruriens seed powder not only reactivates the enzymatic activity of metabolic pathways and energy metabolism but also rejuvenates the harmonic balance of male reproductive hormones in infertile men. These findings open more opportunities for infertility treatment and management by improving semen quality.

Treatment with M. pruriens regulates steroidogenesis and improves semen quality in infertile men.

Cure rate in PP was 86.0% with Vit. C (n=50) and 6.1% with placebo (n=49), between-group difference was 79.9% (p < 0.0001). Both Vit. C and placebo were well tolerated and no differences in safety profile were evident between groups. The results support an effective and safe use of silicon-coated Vit. C vaginal tablets in the management of BV.

In summary, these results add to a growing body of evidence that adequate vitamin D stores may prevent breast cancer development. Whereas circulating 25-OHD levels of >32 ng/mL are associated with normal bone mineral metabolism, our data suggest that the optimal level for breast cancer prevention is >or=40 ng/mL. Well-designed clinical trials are urgently needed to determine whether vitamin D supplementation is effective for breast cancer chemoprevention.

Intake of 2000 IU/day of Vitamin D(3), and, when possible, very moderate exposure to sunlight, could raise serum 25(OH)D to 52 ng/ml, a level associated with reduction by 50% in incidence of breast cancer, according to observational studies.

In the other two groups there were no significant changes. These results show that vitamin E treatment lowers prolactin levels in uremic hemodialysis patients. This might be due to inhibition of central prolactin secretion. Vitamin E inhibits pituitary gland hypertrophy in vitamin E-deficient rats.