Safe Herbs for Menopause

Although herbal remedies for menopause and other conditions have been used for centuries, there are few studies that prove or disprove their effectiveness or their safety. Herbs (along with other natural supplements) are not regulated by the FDA. They may not be sold as drugs, but only as dietary supplements, " without any label or packaging information regarding their therapeutic utility." (See page 14, Reference 3.) However, there are many anecdotal stories of the success of herbs in treating symptoms of menopause, which will be discussed here.

Do Your Research First

• As Shari Lieberman states in her book, "Get Off the Menopause Roller Coaster", the fact that there are no scientific studies regarding the effectiveness of herbal remedies for menopause "... does not invalidate remedies that people have used for centuries with success." (See page 105, Reference 2.)

  Before you start taking any herbs to treat the symptoms of menopause, however, do your research. Read the opinions of experts in the field. Look for evidence of safety concerns, recalls, or other indications that an herb may not be safe for some women.

  Finally, once convinced that you want to try a given herb to see if it will help your menopause symptoms, buy it in a very small package and take it for a short period of time, recording any changes you may feel in a daily diary. Although it is difficult to find "non-commercial" instructions regarding the use of herbs, many reputable producers of so-called herbal remedies, such as Garden Medicinals.com, urge common sense when taking herbs to avoid potential allergic reactions or ill effects from their usage.

The Most Popular Herbs for Treating Symptoms of Menopause

• Flaxseed: A small study by the Mayo Clinic on the use of flaxseed to prevent hot flashes in 29 women found a 50% reduction in hot flashes over a 6 week period when taking 40 grams of flaxseed per day. (See Resource 2.)

  Black Cohosh: Although the Mayo Clinic concedes that there have been few, if any, safety concerns with this herb, which is used widely in Europe and other countries to treat the symptoms of hot flashes, they stop short of saying there is any evidence that it is effective for these types of symptoms. (See Reference 1.)

  St. John's Wort: This herb is used widely for depression and therefore could be useful in the treatment of menopausal mood swings. It was reported in Obstetrics and Gynecology (2006;107:247--55) that combining St. John's Wort and black cohosh showed some success in reducing menopausal depression. (See Resource 3.)

Other Natural Remedies for Treating Symptoms of Menopause

• Besides herbs, there are other natural ingredients which have been shown anecdotally to help relieve some menopausal symptoms. One such ingredient is phytoestrogens, which are natural estrogens that occur naturally in foods such as soybeans, chickpeas and other legumes. One type of phytoestrogen, known as lignans, are present in flaxseed, as well as whole grains, some fruits and some vegetables.

  While there is no clinical evidence of the effectiveness of phytoestrogens for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, it is interesting to note that Asian women whose diets are higher in foods containing phytoestrogens, in particular, those known as isoflavones, not only suffer fewer symptoms during menopause, but also have less heart disease and incidents of osteoporosis than Western women.