Supplement
Fennel is an aromatic plant whose seeds are used as a spice and traditional remedy, and they contain anethole, a compound thought to ease gut muscle spasms and act a little like estrogen. People most often look at it for infant colic, where the evidence is moderate and some research found colic symptoms eased. For breast milk production the evidence is limited, so those findings are much less certain.
- Updated
- How we grade
- 2 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade B
- Conditions studied
- 2
- Outcomes
- 2
- Graded outcomes
- 0101
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
Dysmenorrhea
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pain Intensity Similar effectiveness to ibuprofen/mefenamic acid (meta-analysis SMD 0.07, no significant difference from drugs) | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 502 people |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infant Growth No effect | NoneNo effect | 78 people |
Key findings
- Pain IntensityImproves (the measure goes down)
- Infant Growth
Studies cited
2 studies from PubMed