Oxidative Stress & Biological Aging

Aniseh Hatami et al. (2026) · JBRA assisted reproduction

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 60 women explored whether a standardized extract of Vitex agnus-castus (also called chasteberry or chaste tree) changes oxidative stress, blood fats, insulin resistance and visible symptoms in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). PCOS is a common hormonal condition marked by irregular periods, excess androgens and often insulin resistance. Oxidative stress, an imbalance between damaging free radicals and the body's antioxidant defenses, is described by the authors as feeding a cycle with insulin resistance that worsens PCOS and raises long-term diabetes and heart risk. The women, aged 18 to 45 and treated at a hospital in Arak, Iran, were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of either Vitex tablets (5.8 mg of extract a day) or identical placebo tablets, 30 per group. All kept taking their usual metformin and birth-control pill. Blood tests measured antioxidant and oxidant markers, glucose, insulin, cholesterol and liver enzymes. Ultrasound measured ovary size, the Ferriman-Gallwey score rated excess hair growth, and menstrual frequency compared observed periods with expected ones. Compared with placebo, the Vitex group had higher total antioxidant capacity (0.60 to 1.10 mM versus no change, p < 0.001) and lower total oxidant status, a damage marker (MDA) and an oxidative stress index (all p < 0.001). Insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) fell from 6.40 to 0.98 versus 6.72 to 1.33 with placebo (p < 0.05), HDL cholesterol rose from 50 to 60 mg/dL (p < 0.001), LDL fell, and the hirsutism score dropped from 10.7 to 7.8 while rising on placebo (p < 0.001). Menstrual frequency rose to 0.955 of expected periods versus 0.844 (p = 0.046). Triglycerides, catalase and right ovary volume did not change significantly, weight and body mass index were unchanged, all 60 women completed the study, and no adverse events were reported. The authors view Vitex as a promising complement to standard care and note limits: 12 weeks, one center, convenience sampling, self-reported adherence and no hormone measurements such as LH, FSH or SHBG. Participants stayed on metformin and oral contraceptives, some table values are reported with unusually large effect sizes that look inconsistent with the text, and the authors call for longer, larger trials with several doses and mechanistic endpoints.

Tae-Ha Chung et al. (2021) · Nutrients

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with 63 postmenopausal women in Seoul, Korea, explored whether Korean red ginseng changes markers of biological aging, antioxidant capacity and fatigue. Korean red ginseng (KRG) is Panax ginseng root that is steamed and dried with its skin on. After menopause, falling estrogen is linked to more oxidative stress (damage from unstable molecules called free radicals) and to a drop in mitochondrial DNA copy number, a count of the DNA copies inside the cell's energy-producing structures that is used as an indicator of biological aging. Total antioxidant status (TAS) measures how well the blood neutralizes free radicals. The women were aged 46 to 69. Over 8 weeks, 33 completers took 2 g of KRG daily as four 500 mg tablets and 30 completers took matching placebo tablets of cornstarch and cellulose. Blood tests at the start and end measured TAS with an automated assay and mitochondrial DNA copy number with real-time PCR, while the 9-item Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS, scored 7 to 63, higher meaning worse fatigue) tracked tiredness. TAS rose by 0.11 mmol/L with KRG and fell by 0.04 with placebo (p = 0.011, meaning a gap this large is unlikely to be chance). Mitochondrial DNA copy number rose by 1.58 with KRG versus 0.28 with placebo (p = 0.023), a 1.44-fold increase versus 1.15-fold. Fatigue scores dropped 7 points with KRG versus 1 point with placebo (p = 0.033). LDL cholesterol tended to decline from 136 to 127 mg/dL on KRG, but the difference from placebo was not significant (p = 0.064). Body mass index, blood pressure and blood counts did not change. The groups also differed at baseline in white blood cell count and total cholesterol, and ten of the 73 enrolled women left the analysis, including two placebo participants who took other red ginseng products. The authors view the results as supporting KRG's antioxidant and anti-fatigue effects, drawing on animal and cell research for mechanisms such as the PGC-1alpha pathway that builds mitochondria. Limitations include one dose, an 8-week period, uncontrolled lifestyle, a modest sample and participants who were all Korean postmenopausal women, so findings may not transfer to other groups. Dose, duration and effects on cholesterol need larger, longer studies, and safety was not formally reported.