Benefits of drinking anise

Anise benefits

Anise benefits according to the degree of effectiveness

Possibly Effective

• Improving the cases of patients with functional dyspepsia: , a study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences in 2014 found that eating anise powder for people with dyspepsia contributed to an improvement in the quality of life for these people. Another study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2015 and conducted on people who had symptoms of indigestion stated that their consumption of anise powder after each main meal contributed to reducing These symptoms.
• Reducing the pain associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome; A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2016 found that taking anise oil capsules can relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome; Such as abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, severe constipation, headache, fatigue, gastroesophageal reflux, difficulty defecation, and improving quality of life, but more studies are needed on how it affects.

Insufficient Evidence

• Improvement of symptoms associated with allergic asthma: It is asthma caused by an allergic reaction, and a preliminary study conducted on rats and published in the Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy in 2003 indicated that the aqueous extract containing anise and another group of herbs can inhibit the secretion of histamine resulting from stimulating cells Chemically and immunologically in the study, which led to an improvement in sleep disturbances, cough intensity, and frequency in patients, and improvement in spirometry indicators, such as; The level of vital air capacity that the body can exhale after inhaling the largest amount of air, known as the FEV1/FVC ratio.
• Reducing constipation: A study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine in 2010 found that eating a compound containing anise and other herbs has a laxative effect that relieves constipation, by improving bowel functions, increasing the number of output times.
• Reducing depression in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine in 2017 found that taking capsules containing anise oil can improve symptoms of mild to moderate depression, which is common in people with IBS. irritable colon, but the mechanism of the effect of this oil is still unclear, and therefore more studies are needed to confirm this.
• Reducing blood sugar levels in diabetic patients: A study published in the Journal of Complementary Medicine and Alternative Healthcare in 2018, which was conducted on diabetic patients, indicated that taking anise seed supplements has a lowering effect on blood sugar and fat levels, in addition to being an anti-oxidant. Thus, it is considered one of the foods that improve health and help reduce stress and depression caused by some diseases such as diabetes. [8] On the other hand, it is worth noting that when consuming aniseed by diabetics, it is advised to pay attention to the level of blood sugar and to monitor its low indicators.
• Reducing spasms: A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2007, which was conducted on rats, found that anise extract can contribute to the process of muscle relaxation by inhibiting the contraction caused by acetylcholine, and this explains why anise was used in the past As an anticonvulsant agent.

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Benefits of anise for women

There is a range of benefits that females may obtain when they consume anise or its extracts; Such as reducing the incidence of hot flashes that occur after menopause when they consume anise seed extract, and improving the symptoms associated with polycystic ovary syndrome A study published in the Iranian Red Crescent Medical Journal in 2018 found that using capsules containing anise and another substance can regulate the menstrual cycle, improve oligomenorrhea, and reduce testosterone levels in women suffering from the polycystic syndrome.

Diet benefits of anise

There are no studies showing the relationship of anise to weight loss, but a study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: The Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2017, which was conducted on rats, found that anise fruit extract reduced weight gain significantly, While another study published in the Global Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry Research in 2015 stated that anise can be used as an appetite suppressant.

Benefits of anise oil

Anise essential oil is usually used to add flavor to many desserts, and it has many benefits, It is worth noting that anise oil had the highest antioxidant effect and oleoresin available in its seeds compared to two other compounds known for their effect. The antioxidants: BHA and BHT, according to an in vitro study published in the International Journal of Essential Oil Therapeutics in 2008, and the review that included the above study was reported in ISRN Pharmaceutics. 2012 that the antioxidant effect of anise oil inhibits the oxidation of linoleic acid, combating free radicals. [There are a number of other benefits of anise oil in addition to what was mentioned above; The following explains it:

• Possesses an antifungal effect: An in vitro study published in Acta Pharmaceutica in 2005 indicated that anise oil showed strong antifungal activity against yeast and dermatophytes.

Has analgesic effect: A preliminary study published in The Indian veterinary journal in 2006, which was conducted on animals, found that anise oil extract possesses anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity.

Studies on the benefits of anise

• A preliminary study conducted on mice and published in the American Journal of Biomedical Sciences in 2010 indicated that anise supplement can contribute to reducing the risk of osteoporosis caused by low estrogen levels in the postmenopausal age, by raising the risk of developing osteoporosis. The level of bone density by enhancing the level of indicators related to its formation, such as osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase.
• An in vitro study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 2001, conducted on animals, indicated that anise has a bronchodilator effect, through its inhibitory effect on muscarinic receptors.
• A preliminary study published in the BMC complementary and alternative medicine journal in 2012, which was conducted on mice, indicated that anise oil reduced the appearance and duration of epileptic seizures, which makes it have an effect that reduces the risk of epilepsy, in addition to maintaining the health of neurons, but what More studies are still needed to confirm this benefit.

Anise side effects

The degree of safety of anise

The following points show the degree of safety of anise consumption by various groups:

• Adults: Taking anise in small amounts is often considered safe for most adults, while it is safe to take anise powder or oil in large quantities for a period of up to 4 weeks.
• Pregnant and lactating women: Eating anise in appropriate quantities is often safe for pregnant and lactating women, but there is not enough information about the safety of consuming large amounts of it, and therefore it is recommended to adhere to eating small amounts of it during pregnancy and lactation.
• Children: Anise in small amounts is often considered safe for most children, but there is not enough information about the safety of taking it in larger amounts.

Contraindications to the use of anise

There are some cases that should be careful when taking anise; Among which we mention the following:

• People who are allergic to Aerium plants: Consumption of anise by people who are allergic to one of the plants of this family such as caraway, cumin, fennel, asparagus, celery, dill, and coriander can cause an allergic reaction.
• People with hormone-sensitive cancer:  Such as breast cancer, uterus, ovaries, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids, as anise can worsen these cases because it affects similarly to estrogen, and therefore it is recommended to avoid eating anise in case of infection these cases.
• Diabetics: Anise can lower blood sugar levels. Therefore, diabetics are advised to monitor low blood sugar indicators and levels when using anise.
• Surgical patients: Anise can reduce blood sugar levels, which may make controlling its levels during surgery difficult, so you should stop eating anise at least two weeks before the scheduled operation.

drug interactions with anise

Anise can interfere with the effect of some medications, so it is usually advised to consult your doctor before taking it. Among these drugs, we mention the following:

• Contraceptive drugs: some of these drugs contain estrogen, and anise can have a similar effect to this hormone, but it is not to the extent of the effect of contraceptive drugs, and therefore taking anise with these drugs may reduce their effect; Examples of these drugs are: Ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel, norethisterone, and others.
• Estrogens: Eating large amounts of anise can have an effect similar to estrogen, but not to the effect of drugs that contain this hormone. Taking anise with estrogen pills can reduce its effect in the body; Examples include Conjugated equine estrogens, estradiol, and Ethinyl estradiol, and others.
• Tamoxifen: some types of cancer are affected by body hormones, such as; Estrogen-sensitive cancers, which are affected by estrogen levels in the body, and tamoxifen is used to help reduce the risk of developing this cancer, and it should be noted that anise can affect estrogen levels in the body, which can reduce the effect of tamoxifen, and therefore It is advised not to take anise when using this medicine.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Anise

Does anise raise blood pressure?

There are no clear studies showing whether anise is beneficial for the level of blood pressure or not, but it was noted that it may raise blood pressure, but there are no studies or other information that demonstrates this effect,  while it was mentioned in one of the reviews published in the journal Cogent Biology. In 2019 it may be useful to control blood pressure by maintaining the strength of the heart muscle.

Is anise good for men?

A 2015 review published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine stated that anise essential oil (Anisi aetheroleum) was used as an estrogenic agent to improve male climacteric symptoms and increase desire, in When a study published in The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine in 2019, which was conducted on animals, indicated that consuming large amounts of anise oil reduced testosterone levels and sperm numbers.

Are there benefits of drinking anise on an empty stomach?

There are no studies showing the benefits of eating anise on an empty stomach.

Is anise good for the voice?

There are no studies showing the benefits of anise for the voice.

Is anise good for children?

Some people use anise for children, but there aren’t enough studies to confirm its benefits or safety for them.

What is the effect of anise on pregnant women?

As mentioned earlier; Drinking anise is mostly safe during pregnancy, but pregnant women should drink it in moderation because there is not enough evidence to confirm the safety of using it in large quantities during these periods.

Does anise provide special benefits for women?

It is believed that anise can relieve menopausal symptoms because it has an effect similar to the effect of estrogen, and this effect may contribute to relieving menstrual pain, but on the other hand, these estrogen-like properties may worsen the symptoms of some conditions that are affected by hormones, such as breast cancer.

An overview of anise

Anise or anise (scientific name: Pimpinella anisum) belongs to the Apiaceae family, and it is one of the annual plants that range between 40-60 centimeters long, which has been used for long periods in cooking and for medicinal purposes as well, as it is often grown from In order to obtain its edible seeds, with an acceptable aromatic smell, and a delicious taste, which has many medicinal benefits, the fruits of the anise plant are harvested when their color turns from green to gray, It should be noted that anise is available in several forms such as whole seeds, or as ground Or as an oil, or even as an extract.