A single-blind randomized controlled trial revealed that women with primary dysmenorrhea experienced the most significant reduction in pain when treated with Ibuprofen, as opposed to dark chocolate and coconut water. The researchers sought to assess the relative efficacy of Ibuprofen, dark chocolate bars, and green coconut water in alleviating the intensity of menstrual pain.

Overall, 45 participants were incorporated and randomized into 3 groups. One group received green coconut water (330 mL), another group received 70% dark chocolate (35 g), and the third group was given Ibuprofen (400 mg). These treatments were given at the onset of menstruation when participants usually suffer from symptoms of dysmenorrhea.

A single-dose method was used to examine the immediate influence of each intervention. Participants were instructed to consume their assigned product within a 15-minute window. With the utilization of numeric rating scale (NRS), the intensity of pain was estimated prior to the intervention and 2 hours after the participants had finished consuming their assigned product.

There were a total of 45 females in the study, and they were evenly divided among the treatment groups. The participants in this research were between the ages of 17 and 21, with the largest group being 18 years old, comprising 14 women (31.1%). Table 1 presents a descriptive examination of how pain intensity was distributed both pre and post-intervention across the study groups.

The multivariate Kruskal-Wallis test indicated a notable variation in effectiveness among the three interventions, as illustrated in Table 2:

Ibuprofen 400 mg proved to be the most effective intervention, followed by 70% dark chocolate at 35 g, while 330 mL of young coconut water showed relatively lower effectiveness. These findings enhance our understanding of treatment options for primary dysmenorrhea and underscore the effectiveness of Ibuprofen.