How can we support women experiencing discomfort during their menstrual cycle?

What are the discomforts experienced during the menstrual cycle?

Menstrual cycle: definitions and phrases^1&2

The menstrual cycle is a physiological cycle that prepares the uterus to receive an embryo. With an average duration of 28 days and driven by different hormones, the menstrual cycle has several phases:

• The follicular phase, during which ovarian follicles develop, stimulated by the hormones FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone). These follicles in turn secrete estrogen which causes the endometrium to thicken.
• This corresponds to the release of a mature oocyte from the ovary, which occurs following a rapid surge in FSH and LH hormones.
• The luteal phase, during which the corpus luteum (cells of the ruptured ovarian follicle) secretes progesterone and estrogen. If the oocyte is not fertilized, the corpus luteum breaks down due to very low levels of FSH and LH.
• The menstrual phase, during which very low levels of estrogen and progesterone (due to atrophy of the corpus luteum) cause the superficial layer of the endometrium to shed.

Symptoms experienced by many women during their menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle and its different phases can be a source of many symptoms and types of discomfort: pain, insomnia, difficulty concentrating, lethargy, bloating, etc.

Another is dysmenorrhea, which is pelvic pain during menstruation. These symptoms may be due to endometriosis, which affects 10% of women[1]. This proportion rises to nearly 40% among women³ suffering from chronic pelvic pain³.

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, defines all the physical and psychological symptoms that occur a few days to a few hours before menstruation (general fatigue, irritability, nervousness, headache, stomachache, water retention, breast pain, etc.). It affects 20 to 40% of women of childbearing age².

Nutraceuticals is an increasingly used solution to menstrual cycle discomfort

A particularly buoyant female health market full of opportunities for innovation  

Femtech encompasses all technologies and solutions designed to meet women’s health needs: software, diagnostic tools, products and services. That includes nutraceuticals, a segment showing strong growth: the global dietary supplement market aimed at women's health and beauty was worth $55.4 billion in 2022, with a growth rate of 5.1% estimated between 2023 and 2030⁴.

Moreover, the majority of dietary supplement consumers are women: in France, 8 out of 10 dietary supplements are purchased by women⁵.

What are the trends in dietary supplements aimed at menstrual comfort?

Most of the ingredients are plant-based ingredients, vitamins and minerals/trace elements. For menstrual comfort, we can find chaste tree extract, alchemilla extract, evening primrose extract or magnesium, and for mood support: saffron extract or other adaptogenic plants, CBD or vitamin B6.

With the rise of dietary supplements aimed at menstrual comfort,

ingredients are diversifying and becoming more technically advanced in order to meet consumer expectations. Consumers are increasingly on the lookout for natural and fully tested substances: tangible proof of product efficacy, whether via consumer tests or clinical studies, is a major criterion.

Lactoferrin, an ingredient of particular interest for menstrual comfort

Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein naturally present in cow’s milk and human biological fluids. It has been extensively studied over the last 60 years and is the subject of more than 9,300 scientific articles. It is particularly interesting for its anti-inflammatory effect^6,7,8, which can help relieve discomfort during the menstrual cycle.

Sources:

Our White paper on "How can we innovate to respond to women's discomforts?". (Available here > https://infos.armor-proteines.com/how-can-we-innovate-to-respond-to-womens-discomforts-white-paper-2023)

[1] Vidal. Les hormones féminines et le cycle menstruel. [Female hormones and menstrual cycle.] 2023

[2] INSERM, #PayeTonCycle : C’est quoi le syndrome prémenstruel ? [What is premenstrual syndrome?] 2021

[3] INSERM, Endométriose, une maladie gynécologique fréquente mais encore mal connue [Endometriosis, a common but still little-known gynecological disease], 2018

[4] Grand View Research, Women’s Health And Beauty Supplements Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product, By Application, By Age Group, By Consumer Group, By Sales Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 – 2030

[5]Actif’s no. 80, Santé Féminine : inventive et audacieuse [Women’s Health: inventive and bold], 2022

[6] Presti, S.; Manti, S.; Parisi, G.F.; Papale, M.; Barbagallo, I.A.; Li Volti, G.; Leonardi, S. Lactoferrin: Cytokine Modulation and Application in Clinical Practice. J.Clin. Med. 2021, 10, 5482.

[7] Li, Y.-Q.; Guo, C. A Review on Lactoferrin and Central Nervous System Diseases. Cells 2021, 10, 1810

[8] Karav S, German JB, Rouquié C, Le Parc A, Barile D. Studying Lactoferrin N-Glycosylation. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Apr 20;18(4):870