Popular Alternative Therapies for Menopause
By Better Health Channel
Use your browsers "back" button this menopause" menu. Some of the more popular alternative therapies include:
• Phytoestrogens
• Progesterone creams
• Caution for women on HRT
• Wild yam creams
• Herbal medicines
• Estrogen Medications
• Estrogen side effects
Menopause & Alternative Therapies
Menopause occurs when a woman stops ovulating, the ovaries no longer produce oestrogen (the female sex hormone) and her monthly period (menstruation) ceases. It is a natural event that marks the end of the reproductive years, just as the first menstrual period during puberty marked the start. Many women are troubled by menopausal symptoms that occur with the loss of oestrogens. These include vaginal dryness, hot flushes and night sweats, and many psychological symptoms. The long term risk of disorders such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease is also increased after menopause. Some women use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - a combination of hormones - to ease menopausal symptoms and reduce the risk of associated disorders. However, some women prefer to try alternative therapies to manage their menopause.
Alternative therapies are controversial The 1995 South Australian Health Omnibus Survey found that menopausal women are high users of alternative therapies. Alternative therapies for the management of menopausal symptoms remain controversial. Many of these therapies have not been subjected to clinical trials, so their efficacy is unclear. Some make claims that have yet to be medically confirmed. To date, no alternative therapy has managed to reduce a menopausal woman's risk of osteoporosis. Another concern is that these products may not be prepared to the same strict manufacturing standards as pharmaceutical products.
 
Phytoestrogens
Phytoestrogens are plant compounds that are similar in chemical makeup to the female sex hormone oestrogen, but with much lower potency. They act at the oestrogen receptor sites in a woman's body. This can moderate menopausal symptoms. The three types of phytoestrogens and their dietary sources include:
• Isoflavones - good sources include soy products and beans (such as lima and lentil).
• Lignans - good sources include fruit, vegetables and grains, and oilseeds such as linseed.
• Coumestans - good sources include sprouting seeds such as alfalfa.
 
Progesterone Creams
Progesterone is a female sex hormone that also declines after menopause. Medical science accepts that menopausal symptoms are due to falling oestrogen levels, but some people believe that an incorrect ratio of progesterone to oestrogen is the culprit. To date, there is no medical evidence to support the theory that supplementing the body's progesterone levels with progesterone creams, pessaries or suppositories can ease menopause symptoms or reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The main use of progesterone is to protect the lining of the uterus in women using oestrogen. Progesterone products are now available on prescription only.
 
Caution for Women on Hormone Replacement Therapy
Some women who use combined HRT (oestrogen + progesterone) substitute progesterone creams for the progestogen component of their HRT. This can increase the risk of cancer in the uterine lining (endometrium), because not enough progesterone is absorbed through the skin from these creams. A study published in The Lancet found that progesterone creams applied to the skin don't increase the amount of progesterone levels in the blood to any significant degree and do not protect the endometrium.
 
Wild Yam Cream
Any over-the-counter cream or preparation that claims to contain progesterone should be avoided as a waste of money, since all products containing progesterone are only available on prescription. The compound diosgenin (an oestrogen-like compound) is found in wild yams. The progesterone in creams, pessaries, suppositories and the contraceptive pill is synthesised from diosgenin. Oestrogens and testosterone can also be synthesised from diosgenin. However, this doesn't mean that wild yam creams have a progesterone-boosting effect, as diosgenin has to be chemically changed in the laboratory to produce progesterone, and the human body doesn't have the enzymes to do this. There is no medical evidence to support the claims that wild yam creams can ease menopausal symptoms.
 
Herbal Medicines
Some herbs (such as ginseng and false unicorn) are said to ease menopause symptoms in the same way as phytoestrogens - by acting at oestrogen receptor sites. After menopause, the adrenal glands become the main manufacturers of oestrogen, so herbs such as liquorice and sarsaparilla are used to boost the adrenal glands. Research is needed on the efficacy of herbal preparations in the management of menopause. Studies undertaken so far on evening primrose oil have found that, contrary to popular belief, it has no effect on menopause symptoms. Herbs can act on the body as powerfully as pharmaceutical drugs and should be treated with respect and caution. Always inform your doctor of any herbs you are taking. A registered practitioner should prescribe herbal medicines - self-medicating is not advised. Traditionally, herbs are prescribed short term and not for continuous use.
  
Things to remember
Alternative therapies for the management of menopausal symptoms remain controversial.
Many of these therapies have not been subjected to clinical trials, so their efficacy is in doubt. * Popular therapies include phytoestrogens, progesterone creams, wild yam creams and herbal medicine.
It is best to see a registered naturopath or herbalist if you prefer to use alternative therapies.
 
 
Estrogen Medications
By Community Drug Compounding Pharmacy
Bioidentical medications may contain one or a combination of the following natural estrogens: Estriol, Estradiol and Estrone. These are identical to the homones which are produced in significant quantities in the human body, primarily by the ovaries pre-menopausally and by the fat, skin and muscle cells and adrenal glands post-menopausally. Estrogens are resonsible for the development and maintenance of the female reproductive system, secondary sex characteriscs, favorable effects on blood cholestoral and lipid profiles, and slowing the progression of osteoporosis, as well as causing proliferation of the endometrium.
Estrogen Uses
Natural estrogens are used for replacement therapy in perimenopausal, menopausal, and post-menopausal women for the treatment of symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, irregular menses, mood swings, and vaginal dryness, burning, and itching. Estrogens are also used in the treatment of a variety of other conditions associated with a deficiency of estrogen hormones, including female hypogonadism, ovarian failure, or ovariectomy (removal of ovary). Other uses include preventing osteoporosis, improving blood lipid profile, and maintaining bladder and urinary tract function. Topical estrogen therapy has been used for reduction of wrinkles and skin softening effects.
 
Estrogen Side Effects
Side effects of estrogen therapy include:
• nausea
• stomach upset
• bloating
• headache
• dizziness,
• lightheadedness
THESE EFFECTS MAY BE TEMPORARY AND SELF-LIMITING.
Other adverse reactions may include breakthrough bleeding, breast-swelling, breast pain, fluid retention, weight gain, mood swings, depression, decreased libido, increased risk of gallbladder disease, increased risk of thromboembolic disorder and increase risk of breast or uterine cancer. Do not use natural estrogen during pregnancy.
 
Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy - Frequenty Asked Questions
College Compoundng Pharmacy 
University Compounding Pharmacy 
Martin Avenue Compounding Pharmacy 
BioIdentical Hormones by Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP
 
 
Progesterone Cream Side Effects
By Joesph Mercola, MD
If one has not read Dr. Lee’s books on "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause" and "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause," I would highly recommend them. These books are classics and should be in everyone’s natural medicine library. Progesterone cream has been one of the most important supplements I have ever used in my practice.
I have come to a recent realization regarding the use of these creams. Most women in our culture are estrogen dominant, so using the progesterone goes a long way towards balancing hormones which usually decreases a woman’s risk for breast cancer, improves her PMS and breast tenderness and normalizes her cycle. Like most good things in life if one uses too much of the hormone cream, complications can develop in disruption in one’s hormone balance.
Dr. Lee is fond of using the lower dose creams to avoid this. But this complication can still occur with the low-dose creams. I always attempt to provide the most cost effective solution in my practice so I use prescription strength 10% cream. Theoretically, there is no problem with this if one uses it as directed. There is a huge cost savings as this concentration is able to get the cost down to $3 per month. However, if one uses more than 1/16 of a teaspoon, complications appear to be inevitable.
Progesterone disrupts adrenal hormones
The problem relates to the fact that progesterone is highly fat soluble and once applied to the skin will store itself in a woman’s fat tissue. When one first uses the cream, there is no problem here as the fat stores are very low. But as time goes on, the cream accumulates and contributes to disruptions in the adrenal hormones such as DHEA, cortisol, and testosterone. I have learned that although progesterone cream is an enormously useful tool, it needs to be used very cautiously.
I have also learned that it is FAR MORE IMPORTANT to work to normalize the adrenal hormones first. Once the adrenal hormones are balanced, the progesterone levels will frequently normalize and one will not require any cream. The wonderful thing about adrenal normalization is that it usually only takes 3-6 months to balance these hormones. Once they are balanced, one usually does not require any hormone supplements to keep them balanced.
The balancing process involves lifestyle changes first. If you haven’t already guessed it by now, the diet at Read This First on my home page www.mercola.com is the first step. Secondly, one needs to get to bed by 10 PM. This is an essential part of the process. If one is routinely going to bed after 10, then one’s biorhythms will be disrupted. Addressing emotional stress in one’s life is the other huge component. I believe that the therapy we are now offering in with Applied Psychoneurobiology, APN, (see the article section on my web site) is one of the most effective tools for this. APN clearly is not the only way to address this and there are many other wonderful approaches out there. Journaling is one of the better and least expensive ones, but there are many other approaches also.
Once the lifestyle issues are addressed, then one would ideally evaluate the adrenal and female hormones. One of the better ways to do this is though measuring salivary hormone concentrations. I had been using Aeron Labs, and they do good work. Dr. Zava used to run it and now he runs his own company, which is also a fine lab. However, I have recently been introduced to BioHealth Diagnostics (800-570-2000) and I am hugely impressed with their services. They hold regular seminars and are even having one this weekend in San Diego. I would have loved to attend, but I am still catching up from my earlier learning tour. They also hold weekly phone seminars for health care professionals, which are excellent.
I really believe they have a huge jump on the other labs as they run multiple samples to make these measurements. One can certainly perform the same test at other labs, but the bill for all the samples would literally by two to three times as expensive. The other labs also do not have an educational component. They have a wonderful clinician, Dr. Dan Bivens, who walks the health care professional through proper evaluation of the test results.
Once the results are in, the hormonal manipulation generally involves using sublingual hormones such as DHEA and pregnenolone or cortisol improving agents such as licorice root extract. The exact dosage, timing and use are determined by the results of the test. The absolutely incredible aspect of this testing and treatment strategy is that it recalibrates the brain and helps the body to start making the hormones by themselves so one is not stuck on hormone treatment for the rest of their life.
Getting back to progesterone cream, I have been finding that many of the women who were on the cream have terribly elevated levels of this hormone. This is not good. Progesterone is normally a cyclical hormone and the body really needs to see a change in the concentration to affect a proper physiological response. If the level is constantly above the concentration that it recognizes as "off" or low, this is not possible. Fortunately, this is repairable. But it may involve going off the cream for as long as two years to wash the progesterone out of the system.
I am still in an evaluation stage and learning about how common this is in my own practice as I have just started using this system for the past month. At this point, I am relatively convinced that this is a big part of the picture for hormone replacement.
Progesterone Cream Recommendations
If you are a health care professional and dispensing or recommending progesterone cream, I would recommend you contact BioHealth Diagnostics for an information kit. If you are not one of my patients, you can contact them for a health care professional in your area. If you are one of my patients, there will be a huge shift in the way that we are administering the dispensing of progesterone cream in our office. We will not dispense any cream at this point without a proper evaluation of one’s adrenal and female hormones. This will be done through salivary hormone testing. This test is usually covered by one’s health insurance. This will allow me to normalize and restore the finely tuned hormone balance that one’s body is designed to have, rather than blindly slapping on progesterone cream without any appreciation of the potential complication or hormone disruptions.
Natural progesterone is the exact same hormone that is produced by a woman's ovary. It is made from naturally occurring plant steroids found in the wild yam. It is NOT the synthetic version that is commonly purchased as tablets with a prescription such as Provera. The synthetic progesterone can produce severe side effects including increased risk of cancer, abnormal menstrual flow, fluid retention, nausea, and depression. Side effects are extremely rare with natural progesterone. The only one of concern is that it might slightly alter the timing of the menstrual cycle.
Reasons Why Natural Progesterone Made by Your Body Is Good
Natural progesterone is very useful to balance excess estrogen. Natural progesterone is also different from estrogen in that your body can use it as a precursor or starting material to make other hormones such as adrenal hormones. It can even convert it into estrogen or testosterone if your body needs it. The table on the next page lists the properties of estrogen relative to progesterone. Some of the reasons that estrogen is frequently in excess in many women are:
1. Over production of estrogen. Ovarian cysts or tumors can lead to excess estrogen production. Stress also increases production, but probably the most common cause is obesity. All body fat has an enzyme which converts adrenal steroids to estrogen, so the more fat you have, the more estrogen is present.
2. Inability to breakdown estrogen. Excess estrogen is generally removed by the liver. Diseases of the liver like cirrhosis or decreased enzyme activity can lead to increased estrogen levels. Vitamin B6 and magnesium are necessary for the liver to neutralize estrogen. Increased sugar intake will also excrete magnesium and interfere with its ability to breakdown estrogen.
3. Exposure to pesticides in foods. Most of us eat foods that have pesticides on them. These and many other unnatural chemicals share a common structure with estrogen and serve as "false" estrogens which further stimulates the body's estrogen receptors.
4. Estrogen supplementation. Clearly any additional estrogen given by prescription will increase the level unless it is properly balanced with natural progesterone.
5. Decreased production of progesterone. Progesterone is necessary to counterbalance estrogen. If women do not ovulate during their cycle they will not produce any progesterone that cycle. This happens commonly and worsens the already disturbed progesterone/estrogen balance.
For More Detailed Information on Natural Progesterone: You can purchase What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause by Dr. John Lee. It is paperback book for $13 and was published in May of 1996 and the newer version What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Pre Menopause published in 1999 with a blue cover.
Estrogen Effects
• Stimulates breasts cysts
• Increases body fat storage
• Salt and fluid retention
• Depression and headaches
• Interferes with thyroid hormone
• Increases blood clotting and risk of stroke
• Decreases libido (sex drive)
Impairs blood sugar control
• Loss of zinc and retention of copper
• Reduced oxygen level in all cells
• Increased risk of endometrial cancer
• Increased risk of breast cancer
• Helps decrease bone loss slightly
Progesterone Effects
• Protects against breast cysts
• Helps use fat for energy and keep it off hips
• Natural diuretic (water pill)
• Natural anti-depressant
• Facilitates thyroid hormone action
• Normalizes blood clotting
Increases libido
• Normalizes blood sugar levels
Normalizes zinc and copper levels
• Restores proper cell oxygen levels
• Prevents endometrial cancer
• Helps prevent breast cancer
• Increases bone building
Estrogen-like effect of a Black Cohosh extract
Sept 2007, Department of Human Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome La Sapienza
Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) is used in the treatment of painful menstruation and menopausal symptoms. Data about the nature of the active compounds and mechanism(s) of action are still controversial, chiefly with respect to its estrogenic activity. This work aimed to assess the possible estrogenic activity of a commercial dry hydro-alcoholic extract of Black Cohosh. Continue 
 
Herbal Supplement Black Cohosh Fails to Relieve Hot Flashes
By The National Institute of Aging - Dec. 18, 2006
The herbal supplement black cohosh, whether used alone or with other botanical supplements, did not relieve hot flashes in postmenopausal women or those approaching menopause Continue
 
Perimenopause Resources
You can find out more about perimenopause by contacting the National Women's Health Information Center at 800-994-WOMAN (9662)
Alternative Therapies for Managing Menopausal Symptoms
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine www.nccam.nih.gov
Use of Botanicals for Management of Menopausal Symptoms
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists 
www.acog.org/
Menopause & Hormones
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office on Women's Health www.fda.gov/
Can menopuase change your sex life?
National Institute on Aging 
www.nih.gov/nia/
Menopause - A pathfinder
Melpomene Institute 
www.melpomene.org/

Perimenopause - Complementary and alternative medicine overview
Whole Health MD
www.wholehealthmd.com
Osteoporosis Menopause Risks National Osteoporosis Foundation 
www.nof.org/
North American Menopause Society 
www.menopause.org/
The Hormone Foundation 
www.hormone.org/
 
 
Test Your Immune System
Does your immune system need a boost? This test by Dr. Linda Page is quick and easy
 
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Estriol Cream - The Forgotten Estrogen
By Community Drug Compounding Pharmacy
Estriol may offer many benefits for post menopausal women without the side effects. The primary forms of estrogen include three substances - estrone, estradiol and estriol.
During pregnancy, Estriol is produced in much greater quantities than estrone and estradiol. Estriol has a much less stimulating effect on the breast and uterine lining than estradiol and estrone. Estradiol is 1000 times more stimulating to the breast tissue than is estriol.
In the 1966 Journal of the American Medical Association by H.M. Lemmon, M.D., reported a study showing that higher levels of estriol in the body correlate with remission of breast cancer. Dr. Lemmon demonstrated that women with breast cancer had reduced urinary excretion of estriol. He also observed that women without breast cancer have naturally higher estriol levels, compared with estrone and estradiol levels, than women with breast cancer. Vegetarian and Asian women have high levels of estriol, and these women are at much lower risk of breast cancer than are other women. Estriol's anti-cancer effect is probably related to its anti-estrone properties it blocks the stimulatory effect of estrone by occupying the estrogen receptor sites on the breast cells.
Receptor binding studies have indicated that estriol has only low relative binding affinity to endometrial estrogen receptors (about 10% of Estradiol) whereas it has a relatively strong binding affinity to vaginal estrogen receptors (equal to Estriol). This means that after a single does of estriol, the binding to the endometrial estrogen receptor is too short to induce true proliferation, while it's bindng to the vaginal estrogen receptor is sufficient to exert a full vaginotropc effect. Because of estriol's strong vaginotropic effect it is thought to be the estrogen most beneficial to the vagina, cervix, and vulva. In cases of postmenopausal vaginal dryness and strophy, which predisposes a woman to vaginitis and cyctitis, estriol supplementation would theoretically be the most effective (and safest) estrogen to use.
The intravaginal adminstration of estriol prevents recurrent urinary tract infections in postmenopausal women, by modifying the vaginal flora and significantly lowering vaginal pH. Lactobacilli (absent prior to therapy) reappered after one month in 61% of patients given estriol but in no patient receiving placebo. ((Cardozo et al, 1998: Rax & Stamm, NEJM 1993; 329:753-6)
It is suggested that Vitamin E administred daily with estriol therapy will improve Estriols activity in the body. Oral doses of up to 16mg per day have been documented. The most common oral dosage range is 1-4mg per day. Hybrid combinations using estriol as their main component have become very popular in estrogen replacement therapy, such as Tri-estrogens (using all 3 natural estrogens) in a specific porportion. This ratio is generally 80% estriol, 10% estridiol and 10% estrone. And also Bi-estrogens (using 2 estrogens, generally Estriol and Estradiol). Again estriol usually being the major component. It is generally recognized that 2 or more drugs with the same pharmacologic action in the body, when used together, can elicit a greater response by acting synergistically. This synergism therefore allows a reduction of each single component while producing the same therapeutic effect. This gernerally results in fewer side effects and a beter overall therapeutic response. A Taiwan study concluded that estriol was very effective in the improvement of major subjective climeratic complaints in 86% of patients, especially hot flash and insomnia within 3 months. The atrophic genital changes caused by estrogen deficiency were also improved satisfactorily.
1. John R. Lee MD with Virginia Hopkins. What your Doctor may not tell you about menopause. The breakthrough book on natural progesterone. Warner Books, INc 1996
2. Tzay-Shing Yang MD. et al., Efficacy and saftey of estriol replacement therapy of climacteric women. Chin. Med J (Taipei) 1995;55:386-91
3. A. H. Follingstad MD. Estriol, the forgotten estrogen. JAMA, Jan 2 2 1978 Vol 239 No.1
4 Hiroshi Minaguchi MD et al, Yokohama City University, School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan J. Obstet. Gynaecol. Res. Vol 22, No.1:259-265 1996
5. Raul Raz, MD., Walter E. Stamm, MD. A controlled trial of intravaginal estriol in postmenopausal women with recurrent urinary tract infections. N. England J. Med. 1993;329:753-6
6. G. P. Voooijs, T. B. P. Geurts, Review of the endometrial safety during intravaginal treatment with estriol. European Journal of OBstet. and Gyne. and Reprod Biology 62 (1995)