Report Title

The Effects of Daily Ginger Tea Consumption in Reducing Period Discomfort

Collective Title

Master of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics Research Reports 2018

Abstract

Background

Ginger has been known for its medicinal purposes which includes treating inflammation.6 Researchers have observed the effects of ginger capsules to alleviate dysmenorrhea, but few studies have investigated the use of ginger tea.6,7,9,10,11 The effects of ginger tea on adolescent females have been studied and researchers concluded that ginger reduces menstrual discomfort.1,2

Objective

The purpose of our study was to observe the effects of daily ginger tea consumption on menstrual discomfort in non-adolescent menstruating women.

Design

Our study was a quantitative, interventional study.

Participants/setting

Subjects were females aged 18 years and above. Participants were mostly students from Loma Linda University.

Intervention

At the end of the first menstrual cycle to the start of the second menstrual cycle, subjects did not take ginger tea, home remedies, and pain medications. Subjects filled out the SF-36 survey, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Cohen Perceived Stress survey, a visual analog pain scale and a symptoms checklist during menstruation. Starting at the end of the second menstrual cycle to the start of the third menstrual cycle, subjects drank ginger tea daily and filled out the same set of questionnaires and surveys.

Main Outcome measures

Period pain was measured using a visual analogue pain scale. The symptoms checklist consisted of 19 symptoms associated with menstruation.

Statistical analyses performed

Data were analyzed using the SPSS software. A Paired Sample T-test was used to compare the effects of ginger tea on pain and symptoms experienced before and after the ginger tea intervention.

Results

Results demonstrated a significant decrease in maximum and mean number of symptoms experienced by subjects before and after ginger the tea intervention (p = .013, .013, respectively). There was also a decrease in maximum and mean pain experienced by subjects before and after ginger the tea intervention (p = .092, .093, respectively).

Conclusions

Our study shows promising results that daily ginger tea consumption may help reduce menstrual pain and discomfort.

LLU Discipline

Nutrition and Dietetics

Department

Nutrition and Dietetics

School

School of Allied Health Professions

First Advisor

Gurinder Bains

Second Advisor

Grenith Zimmerman

Third Advisor

Kyndra Woosley

Fourth Advisor

JeJe Noval

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

2018

Date (Title Page)

2018

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Dysmenorrhea--diet therapy; Ginger; Teas, Medicinal

Keywords

Ginger, ginger tea, menstruation, menstrual discomfort, dysmenorrhea

Type

Research Report

Page Count

34 p.

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Research Reports

Collection Website

scholarsrepository.llu.edu/rr/

Repository

Loma Linda University. University Libraries.

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