Introducing Asparagus: New Herbal Help for Menopausal Women.

Well know as a food, it is not at all well known as a medicinal herb. But recent research is showing that asparagus root extract can offer real help to women going through menopause.

Asparagus is a familiar food that is delicious and rich in vitamins A and C and fiber. In North America, though, it is rarely used as a herb. In Asia and Europe, though, all parts of the plant are used herbally. In cooking, the most valued part is the shoot; in herbal tradition, the most valued part is the root. Traditionally, the root has been used as a diuretic and laxative as well as for high blood pressure and rheumatism. In India, asparagus root, or shatavari as it is known in the Ayurvedic tradition of healing, is used as a diuretic, and anti-inflammatory and to strengthen the female reproductive system.

It is this last use, the female reproductive system, that has recently triggered interest in modern science. In 2024, a double-blind study (Cureus. April 8, 2024;16(4):e57879) gave 70 women who were either perimenopausal or who had entered menopause either a placebo or 250mg twice a day of an asparagus root extract standardized for no less than 5% shatavarins for 60 days.

The women taking the asparagus root had significantly fewer hot flashes and night sweats than the women taking the placebo. They also fared significantly better in urinary incontinence, fatigue, sleep problems, mood swings and loss of libido.

The asparagus group did significantly better in total score on a menopause quality of life scale (UQoL), as well as in all domain scores, including occupational, health, emotional, and sexual UQoL scores. They also did significantly better on a scale of depression, anxiety and stress (DASS-21). And they slept better. On the Regensburg Insomnia Scale, the women on asparagus root had better total scores, as well as deep sleep, quality of sleep and daytime functioning.

And now, two more double-blind studies have demonstrated the benefits of asparagus root extract for menopausal women. In the first (Functional Foods in Health and Disease 2025;15(7):415-443), the extract was standardized to 15% shatavarins and the dose was either 50 or 100mg. The study lasted 120 days. The 50 women in this study were all between 40 and 50 and were perimenopausal.

Improvement on the Menopausal Rating Scale was significantly better on the asparagus root. Total score was reduced by 22.8% in the placebo group but by a significantly better 51.4% in the 50mg group and 73% in the 100mg group.

Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire Scores improved by 36% in the placebo group, by 166.75% in the 50mg asparagus group and 178.8% in the 100mg group. While hot flashes were reduced by 7.76% in the placebo group, they dropped by 27.62% in the 50mg asparagus group and by 39.81 in the 100mg group.

In the second study by the same group of researchers (J Am Nutr Assoc. 2025 May 28:1-11), 50 perimenopausal women between 40 and 50 were given either a placebo or 200mg a day of asparagus root extract (standardization not specified) for 120 days. Once again, total scores in the asparagus group improved significantly more on the Menopausal Rating Scale and on the Hot Flash Weekly Weighted Score. Painful periods also improved significantly more. Interestingly, skin and hair quality also improved significantly more.

This burst of studies introduces asparagus root extract as a new herb for helping women in and around menopause.

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