Menopause and supplements treatment, symptoms
What is Menopause
Today’s women have much more possibilities how to prevent and treat the stage of climacteric – menopause. The classic medicine uses generally substitutive therapy. However, some women find natural therapy more relieving and effective to reduce hot flashes and abnormal perspiration. Women in the age of 50 stop releasing ovaries and thus, the menstrual cycle slowly finalizes. If the period does not appear within six months, the menopause reached final stage.
However the menopause is not a disease, it has very uncomfortable symptoms. Around five to ten years before a woman has her last period, the menstrual cycle might become random. Woman might also have causal hot flashes. After the climacteric, a woman might experience bone recession, and the risk of heart diseases increases.
Symptoms of the menopause
Menopause – climacteric – is signified by hot flashes, abnormal perspiration, irregular menstrual cycle, dryness of vaginal mucosa, and light depressions.
Diseases potentially caused by the menopause
After the ovaries stop produce hormones estrogens and progesterons, the threat of osteoporosis and sclerotic heart changes increases. That is why many women decide for substitutive therapy. However, long term hormonal therapy with the risk of breast cancer convinces many other women to try natural remedies. Natural therapy is effective as well for women in the stage of perimenopause when they already experience the symptoms of menopause but still menstruate.
How to treat menopause with dietary supplements
In the natural therapy, the most effective treatment is to use combinations of certain herbs. For example, black Cohosh and Vitex are two remedial plants stabilizing the level of hormones, reducing the frequency of hot flashes and preventing from feeling depressed. Ginseng represents an effective female tonic with beneficial qualities. Angelica Sinensis itself does not impact the symptoms of the menopause. However, it intensifies the effectiveness of other herbs. Licorice contains plant components (phytoestrogens) effecting similarly to estrogens. Phytoestrogens and other active substances might lower the risk of atherosclerotic heart diseases and osteoporosis after menopause. Soy dietary supplements have similar effect as phytoestrogens. In countries where soya belongs to the main nutrients, symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes appear seldom. Be aware of often allergies to soya. According to some studies, vitamin E helps in prevention from heart diseases by protecting LDL from harmful cholesterol. Some women agree, high doses of vitamin E reduce the frequency of hot flashes. Calcium and magnesium are essential for strong bones, therefore it prevents from osteoporosis. Combination with vitamin D helps to absorb it more easily. Vitamin E, calcium, magnesium and vitamin D can be used together with hormonal substitutive medicaments.
Suitable dietary supplements in menopause therapy
- Black Cohosh: 40 mg of extract twice per day
- Vitax: 100 mg of standardized extract once per day
- Ginseng: 100 to 300 mg of extract per day
- 500 mg of calcium and 250 mg of magnesium daily
- Licorice: 200 mg of standardized extract three times a day (do not use, if you suffer from high blood pressure)
- Soya isoflavones: 50 mg per day
- Vitamin E: 250 mg twice a day
Time to consult menopause with a physician
When a woman begins to observe certain changes in her menstrual cycle, she should visit her physician to find out, if the anomaly is caused by early stage of menopause, or if there is other problem. A woman should consult the possibility of menopause, if she inclines to atherosclerotic heart disease or osteoporosis. Consultation with a specialist is necessary, if natural remedies do not seem to cure any symptom of menopause. A woman should definitely see a doctor, if she has any health problems and begins to experience any of the menopause symptoms.
Menopause – facts and suggestions
Vitamin C and flavonoids might modulate heavy bleeding during period that is common before impendent menopause. Their qualities strengthen capillaries weakened before menstruation. Flavonoids might also limit hot flashes and instable moods. Some scientists recommend using 500 mg of vitamin C in combination with 250 mg of flavonoids twice a day.
Recommendations relating to menopause
Avoid alcohol, chocolate, coffee, spicy food – they all might evoke hot flashes. It is recommended to exercise while it might reduce the frequency of hot flashes, strengthen bones, and help to prevent from cardiac diseases. Many women recommend taking a tepid bath every morning to limit number of hot flashes during the whole day.
Additional information about menopause
Soya dietary supplements containing isoflavones might minimalize all possible adverse effects of menopause.