Discover effective natural remedies for easing menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and more using phytoestrogens and other natural remedies.
Menopause is a natural condition and not a disease. It is the permanent cessation of menstrual cycles due to the ovaries' cessation of reproductive hormone production. However, this cessation in hormone production occurs gradually with aging.
Most women experience menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. Perimenopause is a transition period to the menopause phase that may last a few months to years (Peacock et al., 2024).
In the US alone, more than 1.3 million women experience menopause each year. A large number of them may experience different symptoms, causing much distress. Perimenopause and menopause cause vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations, and migraines. Menopause may also cause genitourinary problems, mood swings, thinning of hair, fatigue, body aches, weakening of bones, and much more (Peacock et al., 2024).
Some women opt for hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to ease the transition. However, this prevailing method is associated with the development of cancer in the breast and endometrial tissues (Overk et al., 2005).
Moreover, not all women would like to take hormones due to certain health concerns and side effects. Moreover, why opt for HRT when there are many effective natural remedies? Besides, now more than ever, more women are looking for natural remedies to ease their symptoms.
Below are some natural remedies to help:
Phytoestrogens
Many perimenopause and menopause symptoms occur mainly due to a decline in estrogen and progesterone production. Hence why hormone replacement therapy is heavily prescribed. However, those who do not want to use hormones may consider phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are natural compounds with some activity, like estrogens, making them a much safer option.
Phytoestrogens are present in foods like whole grains, flaxseeds, and organic soy. They are also present in some herbs, such as red clover (trifolium pratense). Alternatively, one may also consider health supplements rich in phytoestrogens. Studies show that phytoestrogens may help in many instances (Chen et al., 2015).
Vitamin D & Calcium
Menopause considerably increases the risk of osteoporosis. Loss of estrogens causes increased bone demineralization. Hence, during this phase, the body needs more significant calcium and vitamins D and K for better absorption and demineralization.
Moreover, vitamin D has many other health benefits, like reduced risk of metabolic disorders and cardiovascular health (Aggarwal & Nityanand, 2013). The sun remains the best source of Vitamin D. So get about 30 minutes of sunlight daily.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The Western diet is relatively deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, associated with greater inflammation and faster aging. Omega-3 fatty acids are also known to be good for brain health, and thus, they might also help with mood swings. Some studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids might help prevent menopause-related depression (Chae & Park, 2021).
Supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids is a good idea, considering their numerous health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce the risk of various chronic ailments. For an omega-3 boost, consume more nuts and seeds, such as chia seeds, flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, cod liver oil, and fish oils.
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
This is yet another very popular natural remedy for menopause. This plant is rich in isoflavones – compounds that act as phytoestrogens. Thus, red clover is effective in reducing hot flashes, mood swings, night sweats, vaginal atrophy, and sleep issues when experiencing menopause, especially when combined with probiotics (Lambert et al., 2017). Moreover, it is also thought to be good for metabolic health, and it helps reduce cholesterol and strengthen bones (Red Clover, 2020).
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Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa)
This plant, native to North America, is also among the most common natural remedies for menopause. Native Americans have used it for various health issues like pain and fever. However, nowadays, it is one of the most popular remedies for addressing menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances, headaches, nervousness, and irritability (Office of Dietary Supplements - Black Cohosh, 2020). Black cohosh significantly improved menopausal symptoms in many women, as shown in clinical analysis (Sadahiro et al., 2023).
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Evening Primrose oil (Oenothera biennis)
One reason people love evening primrose oil is its safety profile. Clinical studies show that it calms nerves, improves mood, and reduces hot flashes and night sweats (Kazemi et al., 2021). It is also beneficial for premenstrual symptoms (PMS), arthritis, high triglycerides, and many other health conditions, so supplementing with evening primrose oil is a good idea.
Maca Root (Lepidium meyenii)
It is known to help balance energy levels, improve mood, manage sexual dysfunction, and improve libido. Thus, there is a sound reason to believe that it may help with menopause. Studies show that it is good for controlling vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms (Meissner et al., 2005).
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Chasteberry (Vitex Agnus-Castus)
It is one of the traditional remedies for PMS symptoms. Vitex chaste berry helps regulate hormones and prevent hot flashes and mood swings. They are great for those experiencing symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. One study found that women who use Vitex chaste berries were, on average, 2.57 times less likely to experience PMS symptoms (Csupor et al., 2019).
St John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Besides its well-known antidepressant effect, this herb is famous for being an effective remedy for many other health conditions, such as premenstrual syndrome, wounds, muscle pain, and much more. Clinically, it has been shown to improve the quality of life in perimenopausal women by reducing hot flashes and other symptoms and improving their sleep (Al-Akoum et al., 2009).
Stress Management
Apart from using various natural remedies and herbal extracts, exploring multiple stress management techniques, such as practicing mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing exercises, self-care, and other practices, is vital for optimal health, which is beneficial for an easy transition to this phase of life.
What To Remember
Menopause is a normal phenomenon related to aging. It is not a disease, but it still causes much distress. Perimenopausal and postmenopausal symptoms may last for months or even a few years. Natural remedies are a safer way to remedy the symptoms associated with these phases of life compared to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), which is associated with an increased risk of developing various cancers.
Some of these remedies include phytoestrogens such as flaxseeds and organic soy, herbs such as red clover, chaste berry, St. John's wort, black cohosh, evening primrose oil, and maca root. Taking omega-3 fatty acids and getting adequate calcium with vitamins D and K helps to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Make sure to discuss this with your holistic health provider before using herbs if you are currently on medications.
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References
Aggarwal, S., & Nityanand. (2013). Calcium and vitamin D in postmenopausal women. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 17(Suppl 3), S618–S620. https://doi.org/10.4103/2230-8210.123549
Al-Akoum, M., Maunsell, E., Verreault, R., Provencher, L., Otis, H., & Dodin, S. (2009). Effects of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) on hot flashes and quality of life in perimenopausal women: a randomized pilot trial. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 16(2), 307–314. https://doi.org/10.1097/gme.0b013e31818572a0
Chae, M., & Park, K. (2021). Association between dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake and depression in postmenopausal women. Nutrition Research and Practice, 15(4), 468–478. https://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2021.15.4.468
Chen, M.-N., Lin, C.-C., & Liu, C.-F. (2015). Efficacy of phytoestrogens for menopausal symptoms: A meta-analysis and systematic review. Climacteric, 18(2), 260–269. https://doi.org/10.3109/13697137.2014.966241
Csupor, D., Lantos, T., Hegyi, P., Benkő, R., Viola, R., Gyöngyi, Z., Csécsei, P., Tóth, B., Vasas, A., Márta, K., Rostás, I., Szentesi, A., & Matuz, M. (2019). Vitex agnus-castus in premenstrual syndrome: A meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trials. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 47, 102190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2019.08.024
Kazemi, F., Masoumi, S. Z., Shayan, A., & Oshvandi, K. (2021). The Effect of Evening Primrose Oil Capsule on Hot Flashes and Night Sweats in Postmenopausal Women: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Menopausal Medicine, 27(1), 8–14. https://doi.org/10.6118/jmm.20033
Lambert, M. N. T., Thorup, A. C., Hansen, E. S. S., & Jeppesen, P. B. (2017). Combined Red Clover isoflavones and probiotics potently reduce menopausal vasomotor symptoms. PloS one, 12(6), e0176590. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0176590
Meissner, H. O., Kapczynski, W., Mscisz, A., & Lutomski, J. (2005). Use of Gelatinized Maca (Lepidium Peruvianum) in Early Postmenopausal Women. International Journal of Biomedical Science : IJBS, 1(1), 33–45.
Office of Dietary Supplements—Black Cohosh. (2020, June 3). https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/BlackCohosh-HealthProfessional/
Overk, C. R., Yao, P., Chadwick, L. R., Nikolic, D., Sun, Y., Cuendet, M. A., Deng, Y., Hedayat, A. S., Pauli, G. F., Farnsworth, N. R., van Breemen, R. B., & Bolton, J. L. (2005). Comparison of the in vitro estrogenic activities of compounds from hops (Humulus lupulus) and red clover (Trifolium pratense). Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 53(16), 6246–6253. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf050448p
Peacock, K., Carlson, K., & Ketvertis, K. M. (2024). Menopause. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507826/
Red Clover. (2020, October). NCCIH. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/red-clover
Sadahiro, R., Matsuoka, L. N., Zeng, B. S., Chen, K. H., Zeng, B. Y., Wang, H. Y., Chu, C. S., Stubbs, B., Su, K. P., Tu, Y. K., Wu, Y. C., Lin, P. Y., Chen, T. Y., Chen, Y. W., Suen, M. W., Hopwood, M., Yang, W. C., Sun, C. K., Cheng, Y. S., Shiue, Y. L., … Tseng, P. T. (2023). Black cohosh extracts in women with menopausal symptoms: an updated pairwise meta-analysis. Menopause (New York, N.Y.), 30(7), 766–773. https://doi.org/10.1097/GME.0000000000002196
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