Menopause

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Menopause symptoms      Hormone influence in menopause   

Benefits of phytoestrogens in menopause     Menopause & diet

Supplements&herbs for menopause        Vitamins&minerals for menopause

Lifestyle changes

What is menopause?

Menopause, often referred to as "change of life", is a time when a woman stops ovulating and menstruating altogether, indicating the end of fertility. After cessation of menstruation, the ovaries stop producing the female hormones estrogen(estradiol,estrone and estriol) and progesterone. Although estrogen levels drop sharply after menopause, the hormones do not disappear entirely. Menopause is not a simple clear-cut event in a woman's life. The so-called "change of life" is not an overnight event. A woman's body may begin the transition towards menopause in her early 40s, the timing of menopause differs in each individual woman, some start earlier some later, on average, for most, menopause begins at age 51. 

Menopause symptoms

At menopause, the production of estrogen/progesterone decreases. The decrease in estrogen is responsible for the uncomfortable and annoying symptoms of menopause. It is characterized by a wide range of physical and emotional symptoms. Some women experience fewer symptoms while others may experience many short-term or acute symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, fatigue, decreased libido, night sweats, dryness, aging of skin, shortness of breath and heart palpitations. (consult your physician first before self diagnosing) Diminished supply of estrogen increases the likelihood of heart problems, osteoporosis and vaginal atrophy. Osteoporosis is a major problem in women after menopause, an estimated 80 percent of 300,000 hip fractures that occur in the United States every year are due to osteoporosis.

Hormone influence in menopause

1) estrogen 2) progesterone 3) testosterone - these reproductive hormones belong to a class of steroid hormones that work harmoniously with each other. They affect the brain, digestion, liver, kidneys, nerves, reproductive organs and immune system.

Estrogen - is a class of hormones that are produced by the ovaries from puberty to menopause, they regulate the menstrual cycle, are responsible for female sex characteristics and also prepare the uterus for pregnancy. Consists of estradiol, estrone and estriol. Estradiol - a potent form of estrogen that decreases during menopause however Estrone -another weaker form of estrogen continues to be produced in the fat tissues and increases with age and amount of fat tissue. Estriol - is the weakest of the three estrogens and is made in great amounts during pregnancy and protects against the formation of cancerous cells.

Progesterone - also produced by the ovaries only if ovulation occurs, its main function is it protects tissues of the uterus from growing and thickening specifically during pregnancy, it also promotes bone formation and improves fat metabolism.

Testosterone - women produce testosterone in small quantities unlike men, testosterone supports the sex drive and maintains muscle and bone integrity.

Many women have been placed on HRT (hormone replacement therapy) by their physicians because HRT will reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and colon cancer and will also reduce the discomforts associated with menopause. Despite these benefits, an article in the British Medical Journal "Lancet", states that HRT in women increases the risk of life-threatening diseases.

The article confirmed the findings of an earlier American study. They found that women who used the therapy for at least five years, faced a higher risk of breast cancer, stroke and pulmonary blood clots. Many women are regularly prescribed Premarin(a preparation from a pregnant mare's urine) ironically, a major study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reported that not only did Premarin not protect against heart attacks but it produced many life-threatening side effects in women with heart disease.

So, many women who trusted their doctors to give them a safe remedy for hot flashes are now wondering what to do. To add fuel to the fire, in July 9 2002 the National Institutes of Health(NIH) issued a press release announcing the termination of clinical trials of Prempro(a combination product consisting of horse estrogen and synthetic progesterone) stating that there was evidence that women taking this drug were at higher risk of breast cancer, heart disease and pulmonary blood clots. But, hormones are just a part of the picture.

If you are deficient in Vitamin B-6 or Magnesium, it may throw your hormones out of balance as well. Thyroid problems, diabetes and certain medications also affect hormonal balance. Interestingly, most other parts of the world have low rates of breast cancer and osteoporosis and the word "hot flash" is virtually unheard of. Either way, menopause can be managed with proper diet, nutritional supplements and exercise. Due to the controversy and life-threatening side effects of HRT, many women are now turning to natural plant based hormones called Phytoestrogens (related in structure to estrogen).

Benefits of phytoestrogens in menopause

1) may increase bone mineral density.
2) may lower cholesterol and triglycerides.
3) may interfere with VGG-P, a factor that enables the spread of cancer.

The following supplements and diet have historically shown benefit in alleviating menopausal discomforts.

Menopause & diet

Soy - natural soy derived progesterone is formulated by pharmacologists in creams or gels that prevents estrogen induced overgrowth of the uterine lining(a factor in uterine cancer), protects against heart disease, osteoporosis and reduces hot flashes.
Soy foods contain "isoflavones" a chain of protective phytonutrients. It is these isoflavones that are thought to be the key in minimizing the unpleasant symptoms of menopause. One of the most important isoflavones is "genistein". Women in the East eat plenty of soy foods and that may be the reason why they don't have unpleasant and annoying symptoms of menopause.

Supplements&herbs for menopause

1) Black Cohosh - is among the growing group of herbs shown by lab analysis to

contain chemical constituents that address menopausal complaints. It has been approved by the German Commission-E for treatment of menopause. The extract contains glycosides and isoflavones that may impart an estrogenic effect. One of the isoflavones is "formononetin" that binds to estrogen receptor sites inducing estrogen like activity.

2) Dong Quai - has been used in China for thousands of years. It's name in Chinese means "proper order", refers to restoring the balance of the entire female hormonal system. Traditional use of Dong Quai is for hot flashes.

3) Chaste tree(Vitex) - grows in the Mediterranean countries and Central Asia. Hippocrates and Theophrastus mentioned the use of Vitex for a wide variety of conditions. It may increase the production of Leutenizing hormone (LH) and decrease the secretion of follicle stimulating hormone(FSH) thereby increasing the ratio of progesterone to estrogen and helping to minimize hot flashes.

4) Wild Yam - found in the USA and Latin America, it was discovered that the "saponins" from wild yam could be converted industrially into cortisone, estrogen and progesterone like compound. It may also protect against hot flashes and osteoporosis.

5) Omega-3 Fatty Acids - from fish oil, flaxseed oil, primrose oil or borage oil may influence hormonal balance, reduce dryness and hot flashes. The lignans in whole flax seed behave like estrogen and may act aggressively against breast cancer, according to rat and human studies at the University of Toronto, it may also reverse the cancer-causing effects of radiation.

Vitamins & minerals for menopause

Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle changes that may help include: (discuss the options with your physician)

1) If a smoker then cutting down on smoking will help although quitting is the best option.

2) Use alcohol moderately - ie no more than 2 drinks per day, The "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" recommend that women should limit their alcohol to no more than 1 drink a day. A drink counts as 1-1/2 ounces of 80-proof or 1 ounce of 100-proof whiskey, 5 ounces of wine or 12 ounces of beer (regular or light).

3) Exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes.

4) Learn to handle stress. (click on link for more info on handling stress)

All of the above help in minimizing the effects of menopause. Every woman in midlife should undergo a medical exam with the appropriate tests mainly mammogram and breast examination to determine her baseline state of health and as always keep the lines of communication open with their Physician and Pharmacist.

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