What are the Alternative Treatments for Menopause?

Treating menopause symptoms, rather menopause, involve a three-tier approach starting from the least risky to most risky options in terms of side effects. The alternative treatments for menopause make up for the second approach among the three, which bear little risk. They are regarded as the most effective options to deal with the menopause symptoms. The main reason behind this is that these alternative treatments for menopause directly address the problem of hormonal imbalance by increasing the levels of these hormones in the body. Listed below are a few complementary and alternative treatments for menopause that have been or are being examined.
 

• Phytoestrogens and Isoflavones (Plant Estrogens)Phytoestrogens tend to exist naturally in some food items such as soy beverages, soy supplements, and flax seed. In the treatment of menopausal symptoms, two main types of phytoestrogens namely, isoflavones and lignans are used. Isoflavones occur in soybeans, chickpeas, and other legumes; while lignans are found in flaxseed, whole grains, and some fruits and vegetables. However, there are very limited proofs that support the use of these foods for obtaining relief from the menopausal symptom of hot flashes.
  
  Isoflavones are chemical compounds occurring in soy and other plants that are phytoestrogens. Their chemical structure resembles with that of the estrogens that are naturally produced in the body. However, they are not that effective when compared with the true estrogens. Their effectiveness is approximately 1/1000 to 1/100,000 of estradiol that is a natural estrogen.
  
  Studies are still in continuation on these foods. But whatever studies have been conducted until now, 90% of them concluded that these foods hardly show any effect in alleviating the menopausal signs and symptoms. In addition, isoflavones also carries some weak effects including a risk for cancer. However, this is still under research. So, if you are suffering from or had suffered from breast cancer, you need to discuss with your doctor before taking any isoflavone pill as a supplement to the diet.
• Vitamin EMany women are of the opinion that vitamin E items or supplements alleviate the mild symptoms of hot flashes. But, the scientific studies are yet attempting to prove this point of Vitamin E during menopause. However, a dosage over 400 international units (IU) of vitamin E is not considered safe. This is because certain studies concluded that the greater dosages might increase the risk of a cardiovascular disease.
• Black CohoshThis is a phytoestrogen that is famous in Europe and USA in the treatment of hot flashes. In fact, it is regarded as one of the safest alternative treatments for menopause. While there is no doubt regarding its safety, researches have made it no longer an effective drug. In a study of five trials featuring five different doses of black cohosh ranging from 20 mg to 160 mg per day, it was seen that only one trial with black cohosh witnessed a decrease in hot flashes. So, it was concluded that black cohosh is most effective in only few women who have just started to receive their menopausal symptoms.
  
  It is recommended to take black cohosh from 20 mg to 60 mg and thrice daily to manage menopause symptoms. In the market, you will come across a number of Black Cohosh products for menopause such as Remifemin. But, black cohosh is not at all effective in women who are going through surgical menopause when compared to those who experience natural menopause.
  
  There are some more herbs recommended by Ottariano, which are Dong Quai (500 mg to 1000 mg, 2 or 3 times daily), Evening Primrose Oil (500 mg, 3 or 4 times daily), Ginseng (100 mg to 500 mg, 3 times daily), and Vitex Agnus Castus (175 mg daily). Even other dietary supplements like licorice, chasteberry, and wild yam (natural progesterone cream) exist for treating menopausal symptoms. But, scientific evidence of these remedies is lacking.
• Omega-3 Fatty AcidsThese are recently studied and have been reported as effective for hot flashes. Further, they are also appealing in the sense that women benefit from their cardiovascular care. During the research, Ethyl-Eicosapentaenoic Acid (E-EPA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid was used to treat 120 women with the symptom of hot flashes via a dose of 500 mg three times a day. It was found that E-EPA was quite effective leading to a 55% decline in the symptoms. However, these women had psychological distress and so it was concluded that E-EPA also treats depressive symptoms.
  
  Before taking any of the above supplements, always remember to consult your doctor.