Menopause

Which CAM Therapies Are Effective for Menopause?

To combat the symptoms of menopause, many women use herbs, soy products and several forms of CAM, including chiropractic and meditation. The primary symptom these women seek to address is hot flashes, followed by sleep problems, joint pain, fatigue and forgetfulness.

In a review of 29 randomized, controlled trials of CAM therapies for menopausal symptoms, all found using MEDLINE, the Alternative and Complementary Database (AMED) or their own research, the authors of this study compared the efficacy of various alternative treatments for menopause symptoms.

Conclusions: Black cohosh, an herb traditionally used by Native Americans to treat gynecological conditions, was beneficial for mitigating hot flashes in three out of four trials.

As the most beneficial CAM remedy in this review, it may effectively treat menopausal symptoms, but there is a lack of long-term safety research that prevents recommending long-term use, according to the authors, and the compounds that account for its efficacy are unknown. "Paced respiration" training for four months is another treatment that appears to significantly reduce hot-flash frequency.

Soy or isoflavone supplementation, recently becoming more popular, appears to have a "modest" benefit for treating hot flashes, but evidence is less conclusive - only three of eight studies involving treatment of at least six weeks duration resulted in significant improvements. Progesterone creams also showed some significant benefits. Acupuncture, vitamin E, evening primrose oil, wild yams, ginseng, dong quai and red clover do not appear to offer any benefits for treating hot flashes, based on existing clinical trials.

Exercise and Menopause

This article recognizes that "exercise may help control a number of physical and psychological changes associated with menopause and midlife." The signs of these changes include:

* bone loss,
* depression,
* weight gain,
* loss of muscle mass and bone density,
* risk of coronary artery disease, and
* vasomotor symptoms.

The article examines many of the physical and emotional manifestations often associated with menopause.

It provides basic guidelines for aerobic exercise and strength training that can be individualized to meet the particular needs and capacities of each woman. 

The authors stress their contention that "women who intend to remain healthy, vital, and independent as they age need a well-rounded approach to health maintenance." They discuss hormone replacement therapy and its impact on women's health.

Shangold MM, Sherman C. Exercise and menopause: A time for positive changes.The Physician and Sportsmedicine, Dec. 1998;26(12). [Internet:http://www.physsportsmed.com/cover.htm]