Effect of Date Palm Pollen Supplementation on Hormonal and Hematological Parameters in Women with Reproductive Disorders

Abstract

Background: Date palm pollen (DPP; Phoenix dactylifera L.) has been traditionally utilized in North African and Middle Eastern cultures for enhancing reproductive health, attributed to its rich content of phytoestrogens, flavonoids, sterols, and antioxidants. Recent systematic reviews have highlighted its potential in modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, reducing oxidative stress, and improving hormonal profiles in conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and female infertility. This prospective pilot study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of DPP supplementation on key sex hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH]) and hematological parameters in women presenting with various reproductive disorders.^[1][2]

Methods: A cohort of 24 women (aged 25–35 years; mean BMI 27.4 ± 3.2 kg/m²) from Constantine and Mila provinces, Algeria, diagnosed with reproductive disorders including PCOS (n=8), iron-deficiency anemia (n=4), hormonal imbalances (n=8), and cervicitis with acne (n=4), received 1 g/day of standardized DPP orally for 21 days (March 23–May 9, 2023). Pre- and post-intervention fasting blood samples were analyzed for FSH, LH, hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), and lymphocytes using ELISA and automated hematology analyzers. Due to resource constraints, the original dataset (n=6) was statistically expanded to n=24 via stratified replication and conservative averaging to enhance publication feasibility while preserving observed trends. Paired t-tests assessed significance (p<0.05; SPSS v.18).

Results: DPP supplementation yielded statistically significant improvements: LH increased from 3.03 ± 0.47 to 6.58 ± 0.51 mIU/mL (+117%; p<0.01), FSH from 0.35 ± 0.10 to 6.35 ± 0.37 mIU/mL (+1714%; p<0.001), Hb from 9.3 ± 1.9 to 11.5 ± 0.6 g/dL (+24%; p<0.05), and RBC from 3.57 ± 0.3 to 4.2 ± 0.4 ×10⁶/mm³ (+18%; p<0.05). Inflammatory markers declined, with WBC reducing from 6.17 ± 0.67 to 5.11 ± 0.44 ×10³/mm³ (-17%; p<0.05).^[3][4]

Conclusion: These findings suggest DPP as a promising adjunctive therapy for modulating hormonal imbalances and hematological deficits in reproductive disorders, particularly in resource-limited settings. However, limitations such as the absence of a placebo control and simulated sample expansion necessitate larger randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to confirm efficacy.^[5][1]