"Fennel an aniseflavored herb used for cooking has long been known for its health benefits for a variety of issues including digestion and premenstrual symptoms. A new study confirms that it is also effective in the management of postmenopause symptoms such as hot flashes sleeplessness vaginal dryness and anxiety without serious side effects. The study outcomes are published online today in Menopause the journal of The North American Menopause Society NAMS. The use of complementary and alternative medicine for the management of menopause symptoms has surged in recent years as women have attempted to identify alternatives to hormone therapy HT. Although HT is the most effective treatment for managing most menopause symptoms some women have turned to herbal medicine because they are either not candidates for HT or are concerned about the negative publicity surrounding potential side effects. Fennel an herb containing essential oils has phytoestrogenic properties. Phytoestrogens are estrogenlike chemicals in plants that have been used to effectively treat a wide array of menopause symptoms. In this small trial of  Iranian women aged  to  years soft capsules containing  mg of fennel were administered twice daily for eight weeks. Improvements were compared between the intervention and placebo groups at four eight and  weeks with a significant statistical difference documented. In the end fennel was concluded to be a safe and effective treatment to reduce menopause symptoms without serious side effects. The study described in the article Effect of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. fennel on menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women a randomized tripleblind placebocontrolled trial is one of the first clinical studies to examine the benefits of fennel for managing menopause symptoms even though it had been previously studied and confirmed to manage premenopause symptoms. The study was completed in Tehran Iran where the average age of women at menopause is younger than in the United States . years versus  years respectively. Some of the most common adverse effects of menopause are hot flashes vaginal dryness sleep problems joint and muscular discomfort exhaustion irritability anxiety and depression. This small pilot study found that on the basis of a menopauserating scale twicedaily consumption of fennel as a phytoestrogen improved menopause symptoms compared with an unusual minimal effect of placebo says Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton executive director of NAMS. A larger longer randomized study is still needed to help determine its longterm benefits and side effect profile.  Founded in  The North American Menopause Society NAMS is North Americas leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the health and quality of life of all women during midlife and beyond through an understanding of menopause and healthy aging. Its multidisciplinary membership of  leaders in the fieldincluding clinical and basic science experts from medicine nursing sociology psychology nutrition anthropology epidemiology pharmacy and educationmakes NAMS uniquely qualified to serve as the definitive resource for health professionals and the public for accurate unbiased information about menopause and healthy aging. To learn more about NAMS visit http"