Natural alternatives to HRT (hormone replacement therapy) for menopause
Menopause is a process that involves the natural wind down of ovulation and menstrual cycles due to declining levels of both oestrogen and progesterone from the ovaries, usually occurring around the age of 45-55.[1]
The adrenal glands are also important in the management of menopausal symptoms as they produce a hormone called dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which through a complex series of enzyme reactions is converted into oestrogen. [2]
There have been numerous major studies into the risks and benefits of HRT such as the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), Women’s International Study of long Duration Oestrogen after Menopause (WISDOM), Heart and Estrogen-progesterone Replacement Study (HERS), Million Women Study and the WHI Memory Study (WHIMS). [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
These studies found HRT increased the risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, stroke, blood clots, heart attacks, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, gallbladder disease and uterine fibroids.
The major benefits these studies found were the reduced risk of colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer along with an increase in bone density (leading to a reduced risk of hip fractures).
There are many diet and lifestyle activities that can counteract the affect of diminished hormone levels. Regular weight bearing exercise and sufficient calcium intake will help to maintain bone density and muscle mass. Including foods rich in phyto-oestrogens in the daily diet has been shown to assist with menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness, improve bone density and reduced total cholesterol and numerous studies have been conducted regarding medicinal herbs and management of menopausal symptoms 1
Support of the adrenal glands through the use of restorative ‘adaptogenic’ herbs as well as stress management will ensure efficient production of DHEA which in the absence of ovarian oestrogen can help to minimise the symptoms of menopause. 1
Contact us now for a personalised treatment plan involving specific diet and lifestyle advice and customised herbal supplements to help manage your individual menopausal symptoms naturally.
Also, if you’d like to know more about the risks and benefits of HRT contact Julie by email [email protected] or by phone 0800 2 BLOOM.
References
[1] Trickey, R. 2003, Women, Hormones & The Menstrual Cycle: Herbal and medical solutions from adolescence to menopause, 2nd edn, Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW
[2] Jones, RE & Lopez, KH 2006, Human Reproductive Biology, 3rd edn, Academic Press, San Diego, CA.
[3] Beral V, Banks E & Reeves G 2002, ‘Evidence from Randomised Trials on the Long-Term Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy’, The Lancet, vol. 360, pp.942-944.
[4] Lacey J, Mink P, Lubin J, Sherman M, Troisi R, Hartge P, Schatzkin A & Schairer C 2002, ‘Menopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy and Risk of Ovarian Cancer’, Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 288, pp.334-341.
[5] MacLennan, AH 2007, ‘HRT: A Reappraisal of the Risks and Benefits’, The Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 186, no. 12, pp.643-646.
[6] Manson JE, Allison MA, Rossouw JE, Carr JJ, Langer RD, Hsia J, Kuller LH & Cochrane BB et al. June 21, 2007, ‘Estrogen Therapy and Coronary-Artery Calcification’, New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 356, no. 25, pp.2591-602
[7] Miller KK, Biller BMK, Beauregard JG, Lipmann JG, Jones J, Schoenfeld D, Sherman JC, Swearingen B, Loeffler J & Klibanski A 2006, ‘Effects of Testosterone Replacement in Androgen-Deficient Women with Hypopituitarism: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study’,The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, vol. 91, no. 5, pp.1683-1690.
[8] Million Women Study n.d, ‘What is The Million Women Study?’, Retrieved September 10, 2007, from: http://www.millionwomenstudy.org/index2.html
[9] National Heart Lung and Blood Institute n.d., “Facts About Menopausal Hormone Therapy”, Retrieved September 1, 2007, from: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/women/pht_facts.pdf
[10]
Vickers MR, MacLennan AH, Lawton B, Ford D, Martin J, Meredith SK &
DeStavola BL et al. August 4, 2007, ‘Main Morbidities Recorded in the
Women's International Study of Long Duration Oestrogen After Menopause
(WISDOM): A Randomised Controlled Trial of Hormone Replacement Therapy
in Postmenopausal Women’, British Medical Journal, vol. 335(7613), no. 239
