The Ginger Supplementation Effects on Aerobic Capacity and Dysmenorrhea in Overweight Girls

Objective: Dysmenorrhea is common and disturbs the quality of life of women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ginger supplement on aerobic capaciy and dysmenorrhea in overweight girls. Materials and Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 52 overweight female students of Shahid Chamran university of Ahwaz were randomly divided into two groups. The supplement group consumed 2 grams of ginger powder daily for two weeks before meals. The aerobic capaciy included two sessions of exhausting activity. The symptoms of dysmenorrhea were measured through a questionnaire, in two consecutive menstrual cycles (once before and one after the supplementation). Results: The results showed that after two weeks of ginger supplementation there was no significant difference in the aerobic capaciy of two supplement and placebo groups (P-value≥ 0.05). A comparison between groups showed that two weeks of ginger supplementation had a significant reduction in the physical and psychological symptoms of dysmenorrhea in the supplement group compared to placebo (P-value: 0.001). Conclusion: According to the results, consumption of ginger supplement for 14 days did not affect aerobic capacity improvement, but it reduced the pain and symptoms of menstruation.