Supplementation with cassis polyphenol has no effect on menopausal symptoms in healthy middle-aged women: A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial

Mayumi Ohtsuka; Tohru Yamaguchi; Sachiko Oishi; Koichi Misawa; Atsushi Suzuki; Masanobu Hibi; Masakazu Terauchi

doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2024.03.006

Supplementation with cassis polyphenol has no effect on menopausal symptoms in healthy middle-aged women: A randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial

Nutr Res. 2024 Mar 21:126:14-22. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.03.006. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Mayumi Ohtsuka¹, Tohru Yamaguchi², Sachiko Oishi¹, Koichi Misawa¹, Atsushi Suzuki³, Masanobu Hibi⁴, Masakazu Terauchi⁵

Affiliations

¹ Biological Science Research Laboratories, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo 131-8501, Japan.
² Health & Wellness Products Research Laboratories, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo 131-8501, Japan.
³ Department of Research & Development, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo 131-8501, Japan.
⁴ Biological Science Research Laboratories, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3 Bunka, Sumida, Tokyo 131-8501, Japan. Electronic address: hibi.masanobu@kao.com.
⁵ Department of Woman's Health, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan.

PMID: 38603978
DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.03.006

Abstract

Hormonal changes during the menopause transition may lead to vasomotor symptoms, including hot flashes (HFs) and neuropsychiatric symptoms such as anxiety and irritability. We hypothesized that the effects of cassis polyphenol (CaP) to improve microcirculation and vasorelaxation may alleviate menopausal symptoms. We performed a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial involving 59 healthy women (mean [standard deviation] age, 51.3 [4.3] years; body mass index, 20.8 [2.6] kg/m²). Participants experiencing subjective menopausal symptoms consumed CaP tablets (400 mg/d, CaP group) or placebo tablets (placebo group) for 4 weeks. Participants were evaluated using questionnaires at baseline, during the 4-week intervention period, and during a 2-week postinterventional observation period. The primary objective was to evaluate the effects of supplementation with CaP on HFs in healthy Japanese women with menopausal symptoms. Additional assessments included the modified Kupperman menopausal index, World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index, World Health Organization quality-of-life 26-item index, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (anxiety and trait components), and Oguri-Shirakawa-Azumi sleep inventory (middle-aged and elderly versions). During the 4-week intervention period, no significant between-group differences were detected in the HF frequency, HF score, sweating frequency, menopausal symptoms, quality of life, anxiety, or sleep. During the 2-week postintervention observational period, the HF score and sweating frequency were significantly decreased in the CaP group compared with the placebo group. These findings suggest that twice daily intake of CaP for 4 weeks does not alleviate menopause symptoms, but the improvement observed in the CaP intake group during the postintervention period warrants confirmation through further large-scale studies.

Keywords: Anthocyanin; Hot flash; Menopause; Peripheral blood circulation; Quality of life; Sweating; Vasomotor symptoms.