Perimenopause Naturally:
An Integrative Medicine Approach
by Tori Hudson, N.D.
Combination products

Most of the herbal combination products available
contain 5 or more plants,
some that contain phytoestrogens and some that claim
to have other therapeutic benefit specific to menopause.
Other combination products contain a mixture
of plants and nutrients such as soy or vitamin E.
Most of these combination products have not been researched,
even though an individual ingredient may have been studied.

One herbal combination product that has been the subject
of a clinical trial contains dong quai, motherwort,
licorice root, burdock root and wild yam root.[14]
Women were randomly assigned
to the herbal combination or a placebo,
taking 2 capsules 3 times daily, for 3 months.
After 3 months,
100% of the women taking the botanical formula
had a reduction in the severity of their symptoms,
compared to 6% taking placebo.
71% of women taking the herbal formula reported
a reduction in the total number of symptoms,
compared to 17% on placebo.

The botanical formula was most effective
in treating hot flashes, mood changes, and insomnia.
There were no clear effects on blood levels
of estradiol or total estrogens,
although there was actually a trend
for a decrease in the treatment group.
Serum progesterone levels also appeared
to decrease in the herbal group.
No clear effects of the botanical formula were apparent
in HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, or total cholesterol.

Since there is a wide-variety
of combination products on the market,
more research in this area is required.

SOURCES

Notes
Endnotes

Yahoo! Groups
Pagan Promotions
Green Witch Garden

Back - Home - Next