Herbal Remedies for Menopause

Women approaching menopause are all-too-familiar with one of its most common and most uncomfortable symptoms: hot flashes. These sudden changes in circulation cause sudden bursts of heat, and as a result, blood vessels near the surface of the skin suddenly contract. This is followed by sweating, chills, and sometimes an increase in heart rate. Hot flashes can happen at almost any time during menopause, and they can cause problems especially at night, where a sudden flux in body temperature and breaking out in sweat can ruin a good night's sleep. While there is no known way to permanently eliminate hot flashes from your life forever, there are treatments that women can try which can reduce this uncomfortable symptom to something much more manageable than before.

The first option many doctors suggest is hormone replacement therapy, or HRT for short. This treatment consists of taking pills, creams, or applying dermal patches which can introduce estrogen into your system. By doing so, you can offset the loss in estrogen caused by menopause, and balance out your hormones to something approaching pre-menopause levels. Many women have seen an improvement in their life from this treatment.

Other women are wary of hormone replacement therapy, and want to consider something more natural. Luckily for them, there are a number of herbal extracts which have been prescribed for their ability to treat hot flashes.

Wild yam is a plant which contains a chemical called diosgenin, which is a phytoestrogen. This means it's a plant product that acts like estrogen in the body, and can potentially do the same functions as estrogen. In laboratories, diosgenin can be converted into actual estrogen, as well as DHEA, an adrenaline hormone. Wild yam and extracted diosgenin are prescribed by naturopaths as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy, but there are varied claims about how effective it is, since it's not technically converted into actual estrogen when digested. That said, it has been noted to at least act like natural hormones, and for women who prefer the holistic and herbal way to balanced health, that's good enough.

Black cohosh is another plant which has been traditionally prescribed to deal with different hormonal issues, including painful periods and hot flashes. Originally used by Native Americans, this plant is prepared into an extract that can be taken alone or in combination with other natural ingredients that is said to reduce hot flashes, but since this ingredient does not technically act like estrogen, it is not exactly known how it does this. Despite not working for every woman, this natural remedy has its proponents who swear by its results.

Dong quai is an herbal supplement used in traditional Chinese medicine. In addition to hot flashes, it's marketed as a way to treat a number of other symptoms including PMS, anemia, and joint pain. According to WebMD, there are some studies which show that the extract of this plant, in combination with some other natural remedies (like black cohosh, for example) are shown to have a positive effect on women who take it for hot flashes and night sweats.

Some holistic health practitioners have suggested women take red clover for dealing with hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause. This is because it contains isoflavones, which are chemicals that act like phytoestrogens in the body, just like wild yam. That's where the good news ends, unfortunately. The truth is that this herb has been connected with some bad side effects like nausea, vaginal spotting, and headaches, and on top of that, there is very little evidence that it has any effect on reducing hot flashes. Women who want to try this remedy for treating their symptoms may find that it doesn't work at all.

It looks like women who want alternative remedies for hot flashes without resorting to hormone replacement therapy have a couple choices available to them, but a word of caution: no one should wander blindly into the world of natural medicine without speaking to their doctor first. Many ingredients can have potentially side effects for some women, especially if they have previous conditions like liver problems or diabetes, or if they're taking other medications that these supplements could interact with. Consulting a medical professional is always advised before trying anything that can impact your health.