Fennel's therapeutic uses
Fennel, a herb with a rich history in both culinary and medicinal contexts, is recognized for a variety of therapeutic uses. Its primary proposed use is in alleviating infantile colic, with some studies indicating that fennel seed oil may provide relief from colic symptoms in infants more effectively than a placebo. Beyond this, fennel is traditionally associated with digestive benefits, including relief from gas, bloating, and constipation, as well as promoting appetite and easing menstrual pain. Some research also suggests that fennel may bolster breast milk production and help alleviate symptoms associated with menopause.
Fennel's potential health benefits extend to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may contribute to its protective effects against chronic health issues. Moreover, its antimicrobial qualities suggest a possible role in treating infections. Despite its widespread use and generally regarded safety, particularly as a food spice, caution is advised for certain populations, including young children and those on specific antibiotics, due to potential interactions. Overall, while fennel shows promise in various therapeutic areas, more rigorous clinical studies are needed to confirm its efficacy and safety across different uses.
Fennel's therapeutic uses
- DEFINITION: Natural plant product used to treat specific health conditions.
- PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USE: Infantile colic
- OTHER PROPOSED USES: Dyspepsia, intestinal gas, menstrual pain, various digestive issues, increase breast milk, relieve menopause symptoms, cardiovascular benefits, improve cognitive function, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial
Overview
The herb fennel has a long history of use as both food and medicine. Traditionally, it is said to act as a carminative, a term that means that it helps the body expel gas. Other traditional uses include increasing breast milk production, easing childbirth, calming cough, promoting menstrual flow, soothing indigestion, and enhancing libido. Fennel is also a common ingredient in “gripe water,” a traditional (and highly alcoholic) preparation used for treating infant colic.
Therapeutic Dosages
A typical dose of fennel is 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of seeds per day, either in capsules or as tea.
Therapeutic Uses
Animal and test-tube studies hint at several potential medicinal effects of fennel or its constituents, such as relaxing smooth muscles, stimulating bile flow, and reducing pain. However, only double-blind, placebo-controlled studies can show that the treatment is effective. In the twenty-first century, such studies on fennel are increasing.
One trial enrolled 125 infants with colic who received either placebo or fennel seed oil at a dose of 12 milligrams (mg) daily per kilogram of body weight. The results were promising. About 40 percent of the infants receiving fennel showed relief of colic symptoms, compared with only 14 percent in the placebo group, a significant difference. Another way to view the results involves looking at hours of inconsolable crying. In the treated group, infants cried about nine hours per week, compared to twelve hours in the placebo group. While these are promising results, confirmation by an independent research group is necessary before the treatment can be accepted as effective. Previously, a small double-blind, placebo-controlled study found similar benefits with a tea containing fennel as well as other herbs (chamomile, vervain, licorice, and lemon balm).
In the twenty-first century, other proposed uses of fennel have undergone study in double-blind trials. One study in 2015 looked at the ability of fennel to act as an appetite suppressant, but this study and another had conflicting results. Other studies looked into whether supplementation with fennel increased breast milk production, though conflicting results were also found. One study commonly cited as evidence that fennel is helpful for menstrual pain actually proved nothing. This was an open trial that compared fennel to the drug mefenamic acid. Because participants and researchers were aware of which treatment was which, the power of suggestion had free play, making the results almost meaningless. Another study of fennel also failed to use a placebo. Fennel is also touted as having polyphenol antioxidants and cardiac benefits.
There are several other proposed natural uses for fennel. In addition to aiding infant digestive issues, fennel is also believed to help relieve gas, constipation, bloating, and poor appetite in adults. A 2020 study found that supplementation with fennel greatly reduced the symptoms of irritable bowel disease. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties may help protect against free radicals that can lead to chronic health conditions. Fennel's antifungal and antimicrobial properties suggest it may play a role in treating bacterial and fungal infections. Finally, fennel may lower blood pressure and improve cognitive function by promoting brain health and memory.
At one time, it was thought that fennel had estrogen-like effects, making it a phytoestrogen. However, subsequent research has tended to indicate that fennel does not have significant phytoestrogen activity.
Safety Issues
As a widely consumed food spice, fennel is thought to have a high safety factor. However, according to one placebo-controlled study with rats, fennel impairs the absorption of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (Cipro). Fennel might be expected to interfere similarly with other drugs in the ciprofloxacin family, the fluoroquinolone drugs. Allowing two hours between taking ciprofloxacin and fennel should reduce the potential for an interaction, but it may not eliminate it. For this reason, it may be advisable to avoid taking fennel during therapy with ciprofloxacin or other antibiotics in this family.
Maximum safe doses of fennel in young children, pregnant or nursing women, and people with severe liver or kidney disease have not been established. Persons taking drugs in the fluoroquinolone family, such as Cipro, should not use fennel.
Bibliography
Alexandrovich, I., et al. "The Effect of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) Seed Oil Emulsion in Infantile Colic." Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, vol. 9, 2003, pp. 58-61.
Arnarson, Atli and Jillian Kubala. "10 Science-Based Benefits of Fennel and Fennel Seeds." Healthline, 1 Feb. 2024, www.healthline.com/nutrition/fennel-and-fennel-seed-benefits. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.
Bae, JiYoung, et al. "Fennel (Foeniculum Vulgare) and Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum-graecum) Tea Drinking Suppresses Subjective Short-term Appetite in Overweight Women." Clinical Nutrition Research, vol. 4, no. 3, 2015, pp. 168-174, doi.org/10.7762/cnr.2015.4.3.168. Accessed 21 Aug. 2023.
Braverman, Jody. "How Healthy are Fennel Seeds?" WebMD, 16 Apr. 2024, www.webmd.com/food-recipes/health-benefits-fennel. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.
Modaress, Nejad V., and M. Asadipour. "Comparison of the Effectiveness of Fennel and Mefenamic Acid on Pain Intensity in Dysmenorrhoea." Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal, vol. 12, 2006, pp. 423-427.
Namavar, J. B., A. Tartifizadeh, and S. Khabnadideh. "Comparison of Fennel and Mefenamic Acid for the Treatment of Primary Dysmenorrhea." International Journal of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, vol. 80, 2003, pp. 153-157.
Noreen, S., et al. "Pharmacological, Nutraceutical, Functional and Therapeutic Properties of Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)." International Journal of Food Properties, vol. 26, no. 1, 2023, pp. 915-927, doi.org/10.1080/10942912.2023.2192436. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.