Akay’s fenugreek extract fights female sexual dysfunction and hormonal imbalance

05 Aug 2021 --- Akay Natural Ingredients’ Fenusmart, an organic extract of fenugreek, supports hormonal balance and improves sexual dysfunction among young, healthy women, according to a study. The ingredient did not produce side effects within the research period.

Supplementation with Fenusmart showed an improvement in some participants an improvement of 41.6 percent on average to sexual problems and irritability concerns were improved by 40 percent compared to the placebo.

“There is a tradition in India that fenugreek seeds are used for various hormone-related issues in women, including sexual issues. Some earlier studies have also reported that fenugreek extracts can enhance libido. However, the influence of fenugreek seeds and extracts on hormonal balance had not been studied,” IM Krishnakumar, chief research officer at Akay, tells NutritionInsight.

“Early studies have shown the significant benefit of Fenusmart on post and peri-menopausal discomforts. However, its effect on reproductive hormones was not clear. We were eager to know the influence of our ingredient Fenusmart on this important topic of hormonal balance.”

Honing in on hormones
The study participants were 48 healthy menstruating women with regular menstrual cycles and aged 20 to 48 years. The participants were randomly selected to receive Fenusmart or a placebo at a 250 mg dose twice a day for 42 days.

The fenugreek extract showed an impact on hormonal balance, and it also improved low libido, vaginal dryness, irritability and mood among participants.Fenugreek has been used in alternative medicine and is a common ingredient in Indian dishes.

An enhancement within the normal reference range was observed for the hormones that initially had low baseline levels. These included estradiol, total testosterone and free testosterone, with no significant enhancement in progesterone and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).       

However, the enhancement in estradiol and testosterone among participants with normal baseline levels was not significant, indicating a relatively weak estrogenic activity for Fenusmart.

“There was an element of ‘surprise’ in the hormone balancing effect of Fenusmart. It regulated the levels of the key reproductive hormones toward establishing a healthy hormonal balance,” Krishnakumar continues.

Fenusmart is launched at a time when global focus is on well-being and mood. Innova Market Insights’ data reveals supplement launches promoting inner well-being have seen a 45 percent average annual growth between 2017 and 2020. Immune and brain mood health remain the top claims.

Fenusmart in focus
The molecular mechanism behind this hormonal balancing effect in Fenusmart can be mainly attributed to its protodioscin content, a furostanolic saponin molecule having a significant structural similarity with dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).

It was shown that protodioscin could be converted to DHEA, which is further converted to testosterone and estradiol. Aromatase is involved in the further conversion of testosterone to estradiol. Another significant component in Fenusmart, trigonelline, has been proven to enhance estrogen levels and work on the serotonin pathway to improve mood.

“Fenusmart enhanced the hormone levels (estradiol, testosterone) among those who had low baseline levels. In the case of subjects having relatively high baseline levels, the enhancement was not significant. Further, we could also correlate the sexual problems and their amelioration with the observed hormonal changes in the study,” Krishnakumar adds.The fenugreek extract showed an impact on hormonal balance, and it also improved low libido, vaginal dryness, irritability and mood among participants.  

Estradiol and testosterone activate the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis by binding with estrogen receptors, and the activation of the HPG axis is necessary for fertility.

A decrease in serum estrogen causes a reduction in clitoral intracavernosal, vaginal and urethral blood flow due to diffuse clitoral brosis, thinned vaginal epithelial layers and decreased vaginal submucosal vasculature.

More research is expected for Fenusmart to investigate post and peri-menopausal discomforts.

Adaptogen focus
Industry players have been voicing the potential of adaptogens like fenugreek in promoting anti-stress effects, especially in the wake of COVID-19. 

Speaking to NutritionInsight, experts from Givaudan, Gencor and Lubrizol Life Science (LLS), Health previously shared their inputs regarding the challenges, bioavailability and commercial potential of adaptogens.

Meanwhile, a study conducted in India earlier this year revealed that Akay Natural Ingredients’ proprietary curcumin ingredient holds the potential to cross the blood-brain barrier.

By Nicole Kerr