HGH & Menopause

Many women dread menopause; even the word can send a woman on an emotional roller coaster. Menopause is manageable and doesn't mean you are losing your womanhood. Treating symptoms of menopause can lead to a smoother transition to life without the worry of monthly menstruation.

• Older women experience menopause.

Defining Menopause

• Menopause is the permanent end of menstruation and fertility. Menopause usually occurs 12 months after a woman's last menstrual period and can disrupt a woman both physically and emotionally.

Four Stages of Menopause

• The first stage is premenopause, which refers to a woman's life between the first and last period. It is the time of "normal" reproductive function.

  Second, perimenopause is the transition stage, which is a few years (2 to 10) before the last period. According to Women's Health, this stage is experienced between 30 and 50 years old. Hot flashes can occur during this period.

  Next comes menopause, which is the point that the ovaries cease to produce eggs, and estrogen and progesterone will become low.

  Last, postmenopause occurs after menopause and lasts the rest of a woman's life.

Symptoms of Menopause

• Symptoms of menopause include physical and mental burdens. According to the Mayo Clinic, hormonal changes cause the physical symptoms, and many times the beliefs about the menopause are to blame for the emotional burdens. Woman may feel as though they are loosing their femininity, but that is not the case. Woman can feel happy that they will no longer have to worry about unplanned pregnancy or monthly cycles.

  Although menopause can affect all women differently, the following are symptoms: change in periods, hot flashes, vagina becoming drier, mood swings, focus problems, sleep problems, hair loss or hair growth on face and bone loss.

Treatment of Menopause

• Dealing with menopause may help reduce symptoms and prevent bone loss. Treatments may include hormone therapies as well as natural treatments and exercise.

  Menopause hormone therapy, also known as MHT, is currently recommended only for short-term treatment. According to Women's Health, natural treatments include soy, bio-identical hormone therapy and phytoestrogen, which is a plant that acts like estrogen in the body.

HGH

• HGH stands for human growth hormone. HGH is an important hormone in your body and happens to be the largest protein in the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, HGH is used to fuel childhood growth and also helps to maintain tissues and organs throughout your life.

  Once you begin to age, the hormone ceases to be produced in such high levels, which has therefore made many question if HGH injections could reverse aging. There has been little evidence from reliable sources to prove, or disprove, the effects of HGH.

  There has been little evidence to support whether or not HGH will "reverse aging." However, according to the Mayo Clinic, injections of HGH have been proven to increase bone density, muscle mass and exercise capacity, while decreasing body fat, in adults with a deficiency in the growth hormone. HGH is also approved to help adults suffering from AIDS-related muscle wasting.

  There is little evidence that HGH has any real benefit in healthy adults, and especially in older adults, HGH causes a number of side effects, including joint and muscle pain and swelling in that arms and legs.

  Several companies sell HGH in a pill form with promises of improvements for a variety of age-related symptoms, including menopause, but none of these claims are scientifically proven. Before you take any type of supplement to treat your menopausal symptoms, consult your doctor.