Plant Lignan: Effective as Menopause Supplement, Study Says

Filed in archive Studies , Treatment on March 30, 2006

According to Italian Researchers, a daily dose of 10 to 30 milligrams of Norwegian spruce lignans is effective in providing relief to women in menopausal stage.

Plant lignans are converted into enterodiol and enterolactone in the colon. Estradiol (the major oestrogen in humans), hydroxymatairesinol and its metabolite enterolactone have been reported to display oestrogenic activity.

Lead researcher, Dr. Marco Cosentino, said: "The present study support the notion that dietary supplementation with Norway spruce lignans provides a suitable source for endogenous enterolactone which in turn is likely beneficial for several conditions related to oestrogen insufficiency, and at the same time devoid of the adverse effects induced by stronger oestrogenic agents.

In humans, hydroxymatairesinol at the currently recommended doses represent mainly a source of enterolactone, which in turn exerts a mild oestrogenic activity."

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