by Dasa Suciu

Created on: September 20, 2010

More and more women prefer herbal remedies to relieve the symptoms caused by menopause. As all alternative medicine remedies work slowly, it may take months for the herbal treatment to have any noticeable effect. Herbal remedies are many and varied as they can be found in many combinations depending on the targeted menopause symptoms.

Declining estrogen levels are considered the main cause of such symptoms. A natural alternative to HRT is offered by the phytoestrogens, a group of substances with estrogen-like actions occurring in natural form in cereals, seeds, pulses, beans and vegetables, but also in some herbs. Large amounts of phytoestrogens in the diet were reported to reduce menopause symptoms. They occur naturally in the inactive form and are then transformed in the active form by bowel bacteria being absorbed in the blood stream. That’s why their activity is influenced by the individual metabolism.

The most common form of phytoestrogens is isoflavones. They are contained in soy beans and red clover. Products based on these herbs may be helpful to reduce especially hot fleshes. The fact that such herbal remedies are natural does not mean they are completely safe. Specialty advice and medical examination are very important before choosing any herbal remedy. 

Black Cohosh has been used in Europe for over 40 years to reduce unpleasant menopause symptoms, primarily hot flashes, sleep disturbances, anxiety and depression. Extensive research has been done in the Unites States on preparations containing this herbal remedy. It was claimed that the therapeutic activity of Black Cohosh is due to its estrogenic properties. Inform yourself better about recent research before using any herbal remedy and consult a specialist.

Garden Sage (Salvia Officinalis) preparations are said to have good effect on intensive sweating. Some specialists advise to take half a teaspoonful of dried sage powder several times a day to achieve a quick action in case of hot fleshes and sweating. This quantity must be kept first under the tongue for about 5-10 minutes and then swallowed with water.

Licorice root is said to have certain unique flavonoids that act in a similar way to antidepressant drugs. Products based on root extracts may be beneficial in case of mild and moderate depression in menopausal women. Take care again not to take other estrogen treatment in parallel. Consult your specialist and make the necessary tests before taking any herbal remedy.

Valerian root is very helpful for anxiety, a frequent menopause symptom. It is also efficient for insomnia helping to induce a deep sleep and for hypertension caused by stressful situations of menopause. American pharmacists advise that a treatment with Valerian products must not be interrupted suddenly as this may cause emotional imbalance.

Herbal remedies may be beneficial in many forms: tea, extracts, tincture and pills. A less used but useful form is aromatherapy. Herbs such as lavender and thyme were found to be helpful to reduce insomnia. Aromatherapists indicate that essential oils such as lemon, pine, and sandalwood may be used to help regulation of hormone production. 

Do not forget that more herbal remedy types used in conjunction may have a better, faster or stronger effect than using only one of them at a time. Always consult a specialist before taking any steps in choosing the best options. Not all women have the same symptoms, nor their body reacts the same way to an herbal remedy.

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