Menopause symptoms

There is a long tradition of treating unpleasant and debilitating menopausal symptoms with medicinal plants. This knowledge has been passed down through the ages and now for the first time we are beginning to understand through scientific research how the plants work on the body at cellular level.

Menopause affects each woman in a unique way. An over-the-counter herbal remedy, which is aimed at the "average menopausal woman", may relieve some of the symptoms but may not relieve others. Menopause symptoms can include depression, anxiety, insomnia, hot flushes, night sweats, fatigue, loss of libido, loss of memory to name just a few. So you can see that menopause can be a complex picture, which needs to have all the symptoms addressed before the woman can regain a sense of well-being. Medicinal plants containing phytochemicals called steroidal saponins are very effective in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. An example of such a plant is Wild Yam. The compounds in these medicinal plants may exert an oestrogenic effect by binding with oestrogen receptors in the brain. This may alleviate the symptoms of declining oestrogen levels. Although phytoestrogen derived from plants is not as potent as oestrogen produced by the ovaries, it can still have a mild oestrogenic effect and convince the body that more oestrogen is present and thereby decrease symptoms of withdrawal. The hot flushes usually correlate to surges of luteinizing hormone (LH), which are triggered when the body senses that oestrogen levels are low. If phytoestrogens are present, LH surges and hot flushes diminish.

There are many medicinal plants, which are effective in assisting a woman in her transition to lower levels of oestrogen. Some of the most commonly used herbs are shown below:

Native to North America and now grown in Europe, the root of Black Cohosh has long been used to treat gynaecogical problems, including menopause and menstrual problems. Research has confirmed the validity of traditional knowledge. Two reviews published in 2003 in the Journal of the North American Menopause Society concluded that Black Cohosh is a safe herbal medicine. The German Commission E also supports its use to treat menopausal symptoms and menstrual problems.

How it works

The effects of black cohosh are believed to be the result ofcomplex synergistic actions of triterpene glycosides and efficacy has been supported by clinical trials in Germany and Italy. It has been proposed that Black Cohosh has a mild oestogenic effect on the body without causing an undesirable thickening of the lining of the uterus. A clinical trial, which was conducted over 12 months, found that Black Cohosh reduced the number and severity of hot flushes.

Native to the Mediterranean and now grown worldwide, the aerial parts of Sage have been traditionally prescribed for menopausal hot flushes. In an open trial, which lasted 3 months, a product containing Sage and Alfalfa extracts improved menopausal symptoms of hot flushes and night sweats. In a number of open studies, sage has reduced sweat production in patients with excessive sweating. Indeed, it is recommended for excessive sweating by the Scientific Committee of the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP).

Research shows that the phytochemical, thujone, which is found in the plant's volatile oil, has a mild oestogenic effect. The mechanism whereby Sage reduces sweating is subject to further scientific research.