Table 2.

Subgroup analyses for the effects of Flaxseed supplementation on sexual hormone.

	No	No of participants	SMD (95% CI)a	P-withinb	I2 (%)c	P-heterogeneityd
Flaxseed on FSH
Overall	6	209	−0.11 (−0.87, 0.66)	0.783	87.3	<0.001
Duration (week)
<12	4	134	0.40 (−0.25, 1.05)	0.227	70.0	0.019
≥12	2	75	−1.05 (−1.47, −063)	<0.001	0.0	0.552
Flaxseed on SHBG
Overall	7	431	0.35 (−0.02, 0.72)	0.063	71.3	0.002
Age (year)
≤50	3	135	0.38 (0.04, 0.72)	0.027	0.0	0.878
>50	4	296	0.36 (−0.26, 0.97)	0.261	85.0	<0.001
Gender
Men	2	161	0.42 (−0.41, 1.24)	0.321	85.3	0.009
Women	5	270	0.32 (−0.14, 0.78)	0.169	69.4	0.011
Duration (week)
<12	4	294	0.20 (−0.33, 0.72)	0.464	79.5	0.002
≥12	3	137	0.57 (0.18, 0.95)	0.004	18.0	0.295
Study population
PCOS	3	135	0.38 (0.04, 0.72)	0.027	0.0	0.878
Prostate cancer	2	161	0.42 (−0.41, 1.24)	0.321	85.3	0.009
Post-menopausal	2	135	0.32 (−0.98, 1.63)	0.627	90.5	<0.001
Flaxseed on total testosterone
Overall	6	395	0.17 (−0.07, 0.41)	0.165	27.7	0.227
Age (year)
≤50	3	135	0.02 (−0.32, 0.36)	0.906	0.0	0.980
>50	3	260	0.27 (−0.15, 0.69)	0.205	65.1	0.057
Gender
Men	2	161	0.48 (0.17, 0.79)	0.003	0.0	0.600
Women	4	234	−0.04 (−0.30, 0.22)	0.906	0.0	0.956
Duration (week)
<12	4	294	0.24 (−0.10, 0.57)	0.464	49.5	0.115
≥12	2	101	0.00 (−0.39, 0.39)	0.004	0.0	0.998
Study population
PCOS	3	135	0.02 (−0.32, 0.36)	0.906	0.0	0.980
Prostate cancer	2	161	0.48 (0.17, 0.79)	0.003	0.0	0.600
Post-menopausal	1	99	−0.12 (−0.51, 0.27)	0.551	–	–
Flaxseed on FAI
Overall	4	262	0.11 (−0.61, 0.83)	0.759	87.6	<0.001
Gender
Men	2	161	0.59 (−0.10, 1.29)	0.094	79.0	0.029
Women	2	101	−0.41 (−1.65, 0.82)	0.514	88.7	0.003
Study population
PCOS	2	101	−0.41 (−1.65, 0.82)	0.514	88.7	0.003
Prostate cancer	2	161	0.59 (−0.10, 1.29)	0.094	79.0	0.029

SMD, standardized mean difference; CI, confidence interval.

^aObtained from the Random-effects model.

^bRefers to the mean (95% CI).

^cInconsistency, percentage of variation across studies due to heterogeneity.

^dObtained from the Q-test.