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Women's Health
Menopause: Much-Needed Relief From Symptoms Of The Menopause
My cousin Emily is currently going through the menopause and is trying to cope with the hot flushes it's causing, which she sometimes jokes about.
Yet, while she's able to face her situation with a sense of humour, Emily will be the first to tell you that hot flushes are anything but funny.
For many women, including my cousin, a hot flush can be so severe that the effects resemble heart attack symptoms; with dizziness, sweating, rapid heartbeat, weakness and nausea all arriving on a wave of anxiety.
Recently I came across a new study that shows how a red clover extract can reduce the frequency of hot flushes. And while this is not news (red clover has been used to treat symptoms of the menopause for many years in traditional Chinese medicine), it's a welcome confirmation of previous studies, particularly with all the bad news we've heard about prescription hormone replacement therapy (HRT) lately.
Flushing less frequently
Red clover contains large amounts of a group of compounds called isoflavones, a type of phytooestrogen found in various plants that we've talked about for years.
Phytooestrogens have mild oestrogenic properties that block oestrogen receptors. This is believed to be the key to red clover's ability to modify symptoms of the menopause. (Isoflavones have also been shown to play a part in lowering the risk of heart disease, and may help prevent osteoporosis as well.)
With this new study, a team of researchers in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, wanted to determine if the frequency of hot flushes could be reduced, using a standardised extract of red clover. A group of 30 menopausal women, 49 to 65 years old, were divided into two groups. One group received a placebo for three months, while the other group received 80mg per day of the red clover extract. The subjects agreed to eliminate any items from their diets that contained isoflavones (such as soy products, grains and cabbage). And every four weeks the women were interviewed for details about their menopause symptoms.
When the results were analysed, the researchers found that the women in the placebo group experienced no change in the frequency of their hot flushes. The women who received red clover, however, enjoyed a 44 per cent reduction in their hot flush frequency. Furthermore, once the maximum decrease was fully established (after about 8 weeks of use), the reduction of frequency was maintained for the remaining 4 weeks of the study.
Off to the herbalist
The daily 80mg dosage of red clover extract was well tolerated by the subjects in this study, but it should be noted that earlier studies have shown that red clover may thin the blood, so it should not be used by patients who are also taking an anticoagulant medication.
In addition to menopause symptoms, red clover has traditionally been used to remove toxins from the body and to treat a variety of health problems, including chest congestion, chronic degenerative diseases, gout, psoriasis and eczema.
There are also a number of other natural treatments that have been used to address the symptoms of menopause, including herbal remedies such as dong quai, black cohosh, liquorice and chasteberry. Nutritional supplements of vitamins A, C and B complex, plus minerals like boron may also be effective. In addition, some women find relief in yoga, acupuncture or special exercise regimens.
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