Menopause: a new stage in life

News about hot flashes!

Convenient relief with a “one a day” formula!

Menopause is a normal stage experienced by women usually between the ages of 40 and 55; this is the time when ovulation and fertility come to an end. The World Health Organization defines menopause as a period of twelve consecutive months without menstruation and without viable eggs in the ovaries. During this period, the ovaries stop producing two kinds of hormones: estrogen and progesterone, which play a major role in a woman's life.

 

Unpleasant symptoms are associated with menopause and related hormonal changes. They include hot flashes, sweating, insomnia, headaches, vaginitis, nervousness, and problems with memory and concentration. These symptoms can all make menopause a difficult time to go through. In addition, bone loss and the risk of cardiovascular disease increase. The period before menopause, perimenopause, presents fluctuations in hormonal levels as well as some menopausal symptoms, sometimes.

 

Typical symptoms of menopause
• Hot flashes   • Sweating • Mood and irritability problems • Insomnia • Headaches • Loss of libido • Vaginitis • Urinary infections • Cold hands and feet • Nervousness • Memory problems • Concentration problems • Increased cardiovascular problems • Accelerated bone loss • Weight gain	Most Common Menopause Complaints     More than 51 million women in the United States and 121 million in Europe.   Depression   29% Loss of libido   34% Irritability   40% Mood disorders 42% Insomnia   45% Hot flashes   72%   Figure 1: Main symptoms of menopause reported by European women (in %)   Reference: Source #2.

 

The severity of symptoms varies according to each woman, but it seems particularly linked to diet and environment. In many regions of the world, women experience much less severe symptoms than women in North America and Western Europe.

 

Another factor in the severity of menopausal symptoms is the functioning of the adrenal glands. In a woman, these glands can continue to supply estrogen and progesterone to the body after menopause begins. However, stress, poor diet, lack of sleep and caffeine consumption can impair the functioning of the adrenal glands and thus intensify the symptoms of menopause.

 

Hot Flashes: The Number One Challenge of Menopause

“Hot flashes” are the most common symptom of menopause. In North America and Western Europe, 72% of postmenopausal women experience hot flashes¹. Their frequency varies depending on the woman, from a few incidents per month to several in an hour, as well as their duration, which varies from five to forty years.

 

Hot flashes refer to the “vasomotor” symptom. During an incident, a woman's heart rate may increase by five beats per minute and skin temperature may increase dramatically. Symptoms of hot flashes are mainly felt in the face, neck and upper body and are accompanied by increased sweating. On the other hand, the body's actual core temperature decreases due to heat loss through sweating.

 

Experiencing hot flashes is certainly unpleasant, but worse, they can have a dramatic impact on quality of life by interfering with daily activities. They can lead to interrupted sleep, insomnia, and increased anxiety and irritability.

 

Low estrogen levels are believed to be a factor in the occurrence of hot flashes.  Estrogen helps regulate core body temperature. In postmenopausal women, even small changes in core temperature appear to trigger cooling measures (sweating and hot flashes), because estrogen is insufficient to adequately treat such cooling. The process is not fully understood, as other factors are certainly involved. Some women do not experience hot flashes during menopause and the associated reduction in estrogen.

 

Risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has until now been the main treatment for hot flashes administered by the medical profession. This involves using conjugated estrogens (Premarin®) or a combination of estrogens and progesterone to make up for the absence of these hormones during menopause. In terms of outcomes, HRT was effective in reducing hot flashes, preventing bone loss and fractures, and treating vaginal dryness.

 

Despite the benefits of HRT, three major clinical studies of HRT results, published between 2002 and 2010, highlighted the risks of the treatment. They unexpectedly showed that HRT significantly increased the risk of heart attack, stroke, clots, breast cancer, endometrial cancer (when estrogen is given alone) and gallbladder disease.³.

 

Because of such severe adverse outcomes, the majority of North American doctors have abandoned HRT for their patients. Currently, this treatment is only used for women who are experiencing severe menopausal symptoms and is given in very small doses for a very short period of time.

 

Some healthcare professionals prescribe the use of “bioidentical” hormones extracted from soy or hairy yam, which are considered less potent and safer than HRT. These hormones are available in pharmacies in various forms. Unfortunately, although they are presumed to be safer than HRT, significant clinical trials have not yet been conducted to confirm the safety of bioidentical hormones.⁴.

 

Natural alternatives to HRT

With the trend away from HRT, women have had to look for alternatives to treat their menopausal symptoms. Reducing stress, exercising regularly, avoiding smoking, and establishing a positive, healthy environment can all contribute to treatment⁵. Consumption of natural dietary supplements that are designed to relieve menopausal discomfort may also play a role for postmenopausal women seeking relief. In recent times, soy foods and herbal extracts such as blackgrass and red clover have been used by postmenopausal women to ease symptoms such as hot flashes. These plants contain phytoestrogens or “dietary estrogens,” meaning they are estrogenic compounds consumed with food and not produced by the endocrine system. Phytoestrogens have estrogenic effects on the body by mimicking the latter. Soy-based phytoestrogens include the isoflavones genistein and daidzein.

 

A source of phytoestrogens has recently been discovered that has stronger effects than soy products. It has been demonstrated that hops (Humulus lupulus L.), a plant best known for its use in brewing beer, had a high content of a phytoestrogen called 8-prenylnaringinin (8-PN). 8-PN is a prenylflavonoid and standardized extracts of 8-PN from hops have been prepared in human clinical trials for the relief of hot flashes.

Lifenol® — Clinically proven hop extract

Hop extract marketed under the Lifenol® brand contains between 0.15% and 0.25% 8-PN. It has undergone clinical trials in women to verify its safety and effectiveness against menopausal symptoms.

 

In a clinical trial, postmenopausal women received a placebo or a dietary supplement containing 85 mg of Lifenol®. After six weeks, 60 percent of women who used the supplement experienced a reduction in their hot flashes. The average discount was 30%.⁶.

 

A second study assessed the general quality of life of postmenopausal women. Again, women received a placebo or a dietary supplement containing 85 mg of Lifenol®. A promising 90% of women taking the Lifenol®-containing supplement reported improved quality of life, and three times as many women in the same group reported a “strong” improvement in six weeks compared to the placebo group. The following symptoms were measured: sweating, insomnia, nervousness and dizziness⁷.

 

Lifenol® Hop Extract: Safety First

Despite its effectiveness in reducing menopausal symptoms, we know that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has dangerous side effects. This makes the safety of any natural alternative just as important as its effectiveness.

 

To determine the safety of their hop extract, the creators of Lifenol® conducted safety studies that demonstrated that 8-PN was safe for general consumption at single doses up to 750 mg per day⁸. This amount far exceeds the recommended level of 85 mg per day in dietary supplements.

 

A clinical study also evaluated the effect of 8-PN on breast tissue. The researchers concluded that low doses of prenylflavonoids (less than 10 mg per day) were unlikely to elicit estrogenic responses in breast tissue relevant to breast carcinogenesis.⁹. The daily dose of Lifenol® that was studied for relief of hot flashes contained a maximum amount of prenylflavonoid 8-PN of 0.21 mg, almost fifty times less than the 10 mg amount reported in the study.

 

Lifenol® has also been the subject of a study on its possible negative effects on the endometrial thickness of the uterine wall. When given alone as part of HRT, estrogens have been associated with thickening of the endometrial lining of the uterus, which can lead to uterine cancer. The study showed the positive estrogenic effects of 8-PN, while confirming the absence of thickening of the uterine wall.¹⁰.

 

So, although 8-PN is a phytoestrogen that resembles estrogens, it has very different effects on different targets.¹¹. As a precaution, women experiencing various conditions should consult their healthcare professional if they have a history of breast or endometrial cancer, or another hormone-dependent cancer.

 

In addition to its benefits for immediate symptoms of menopause, 8-PN has protective effects on long-term health problems. 8-PN has been shown to have cancer preventive effects and to inhibit angiogenesis, a healing process that can transform benign tumors into malignancies.^{12, 13}. Additionally, 8-PN may play a role in preventing bone loss and protecting cardiovascular health^{14, 15}.

 

Lifenol® hop extract: non-sedative product

In health food stores, supplements that contain hops are commonly recommended in formulations for insomnia or relaxation. Dried hop cones are known for their sedative effects and as a sleep aid. Lifenol® is a hydroalcoholic extract of hops, but it does not produce any of the typical sedative effects of dried hop cones.¹⁶.

 

Cimicaria and Sage: Other Herbs to Relieve Menopausal Symptoms

 

8-PN extracted from hops is not the only nutraceutical product that has beneficial effects on menopausal symptoms. Crop bugbane is a phytoestrogen that helps reduce the incidence of hot flashes. In one study, a 40 mg amount of bugbane was as effective as conjugated estrogens, but did not affect the endometrial thickness of the uterine wall, unlike estrogen therapy. In another study, 80% of participants reported a reduction in menopausal problems after one month of use.¹⁷.

 

Sage, a plant with a long history of traditional uses, is also known to help reduce hot flashes and night sweats.¹⁸.

 

Other natural supplements to look into during menopause:

 

Maca root	Fish oil	De-stressing	UTI Supreme	Cal-Mag Supreme
Maca root helps support healthy mood balance during menopause and supports the emotional aspects of sexual health.	The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish support cardiovascular and brain health.	The product helps temporarily reduce the symptoms of perceived stress. It has been used traditionally as a sleeping pill.	The capsules help prevent urinary infections. The incidence of these infections increases in postmenopausal women due to vaginal dryness.	The product contains Aquamin® calcium from plant sources. It can reduce the chances of developing osteoporosis.

 

References

1. Nelson HD (2008) Menopause. Lancet 371(9614): 760–70. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(08)60346-3
2. “Natural solution for hot flashes”. Naturex.
3. Murray, Michael, N.D. “The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.” Third Edition. Atria. p. 784-785.
4. Ibid. p. 786.
5. Torkos, Sherry, BSc Phm. “The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.” Second Edition. 2013. HaperCollins Publishers. pp. 348-349.
6. Erkkola, R. et al., A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over pilot study on the use of a standardized hop extract to alleviate menopausal discomfort. Phytomedicine (2010), doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2010.01.007
7. Heyerick, A. et al. A first prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on the use of a standardized hop extract to alleviate menopausal discomfort. Maturitas 54 (2006) 164-175.
8. Rad, M., et al. Pharmakinetics and systemic endocrine effects of the phytoestrogen 8-prenylnaringenin after single oral doses to postmenopausal women. Br. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 62:288-296.
9. Bolca, Selin et al. Disposition of hop prenylfavonoids in human breast tissue. Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2010. 54, 1-11.
10. Naturex. “Effects of Lifenol® on the endometrium and vaginal cytology of menopausal women.” Unpublished.
11. Naturex. “Renew your sense of womanhood with Lifenol.” 2012.
12. Brunelli, E. “8-prenylnaringenin inhibits epidermal growth factor-induced MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation by targeting phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase activity. 2009. J Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. 113:163-170.
13. Pepper, M.S. “8-prenylnaringenin, a novel phytoestrogen, inhibits angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo.” J Cell Physiol, 2004 Apr; 199 (1): 98-107.
14. Effenberger, K.E. et al. Regulation of osteoblastic phenotype and gene expression by hop-derived phytoestrogens. J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. 96:387-399.
15. Sehmisch, S. Comparison of the phytohormones genistein, resveratrol and 8-prenylnaringenin as agents for preventing osteoporosis. Planta Med. 2008. 74:794-801.
16. Fromentin, Emillie. “Lifenol® is not a traditional hops extract for insomnia.” Internal paper.
17. Murray, Michael, N.D. “The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine.” Third Edition. Atria. p. 790.
18. Health Canada. “Monograph: Sage”. Natural Health Products Directorate.

http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/atReq.do?atid=sage.or&lang=eng