Fenugreek, produced from the dried seeds of an herb, is used as a complementary medicine taken orally or applied to skin as a paste. While proponents of fenugreek claim it has many health benefits, not many clinical trials have been done to prove its benefit. As with all alternative medicine, talk with your doctor before taking fenugreek to treat medical conditions.
More Common Uses
Breastfeeding mothers may use fenugreek as a way to increase milk supply. Fenugreek may also lower blood sugar levels in diabetics. Applying the paste form of fenugreek to the skin may help treat infection. Fenugreek is also used as a food additive for flavoring; when used in this way, the drug has less potency, Drugs.com states.
Less Common Uses
Other potential but less common uses for fenugreek include treatment for hair loss, for arthritis, as a cancer treatment, to induce labor or to treat gastrointestinal problems. No definitive proof that fenugreek works for any of these conditions exists, although fenugreek can stimulate uterine contractions. Pregnant women should not take this drug for this reason.
Study Results
While many lactation consultants advise using fenugreek, clinical trials seem nonexistent on its use for this purpose. However, much anecdotal information on its use appears on websites such as Kellymom.com, written by a lactation consultant. A 1990 study by the Indian Council of Medical Research found that fenugreek reduced blood sugar levels as well as lipid levels when taken for 10 days. A study conducted in the United Arab Emirates found that fenugreek reduced breast cancer in rats, while a 2004 American study found that fenugreek benefited rats with colon cancer. Human studies are needed to evaluate whether people would experience the same effects. Since these claims are not proven to work in humans, do not use fenugreek for any of the above purposes without your medical practitioner's approval.
Risks
Fenugreek, like any medication, can have side effects. Since the drug can stimulate uterine contractions, it could cause pregnancy loss or preterm labor if taken during pregnancy. Gastrointestinal side effects such as gas and diarrhea may occur at doses higher than 100 g per day, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Because fenugreek can have an anticoagulant effect, especially in people taking blood thinners or those with diseases that interfere with blood clotting, bleeding and bruising may occur. Fenugreek can also lower blood sugar levels, so diabetic medication doses may need adjustment. Frequent blood sugar monitoring helps prevent hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.
References
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Fenugreek
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fenugreek
- Drugs.com: Fenugreek
- PubMed: Effect of Fenugreek Seeds on Blood Glucose and Serum Lipids in Type I Diabetes
- PubMed: Chemopreventive Activities of Trigonella Foenum Graecum (Fenugreek) Against Breast Cancer
- PubMed: Diosgenin, a Steroid Saponin of Trigonella Foenum Graceum (Fenugreek), Inhibits Azoxymethane-Induced Aberrant Crypt Foci Formation in F344 Rats
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