Abstract

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea refers to painful menstrual cramps without pelvic pathology. The condition is highly prevalent among women and exerts negative effects on their quality of life. Considering the evidence for anti-inflammatory properties of Boron, the present study aimed to determine the effects of Boron supplementation on the severity and duration of menstrual pain in female university students. Methods: This triple-blind randomized clinical trial study recruited 113 university students. The participants were matched for the severity and duration of dysmenorrhea and randomly allocated into the case and control groups (n = 58 and 55, respectively). The case group consumed 10 mg/day Boron from two days before the menstrual flow until its third day. The control group received placebo capsules (similar to those distributed among the cases). All subjects were asked to take the capsules for two consecutive menstrual cycles. Pain severity (measured on a visual analog scale) and duration (in hours) were measured at baseline and during the two cycles. Results: The two groups had no significant differences in the severity and duration of pain at baseline. After the intervention, however, the severity and duration of pain were significantly lower in the case group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on our findings, Boron supplementation can reduce the severity and duration of menstrual pain through exerting anti-inflammatory effects. In order to clarify the effects of Boron on dysmenorrhea, future studies are required to measure the levels of hormones and inflammatory biomarkers. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.