Perimenopause Naturally:
An Integrative Medicine Approach
by Tori Hudson, N.D.
Perimenopause: signs and symptoms
Individual assessments and recommendations
Principles of naturopathic medicine
Natural therapies for perimenopause:
the scientific facts

There is a growing body of scientific evidence to assess
the efficacy of natural therapies
for perimenopausal symptoms and disease prevention.
Here is a brief summary of what the studies tell us so far:

Phytoestrogen
Plants manufacture thousands of chemical compounds
vital to the health and function of the plant.
Those chemical compounds, generally known as micronutrients,
are consumed by humans whenever the plants are eaten.

One class of chemical compounds manufactured by plants
is known as phytoestrogens.
Over 300 plants contain phytoestrogen compounds.
They comprise a large part of our diet, and are found
in medicinal plants as well.

There are several sub-classifications of phytoestrogens,
including the category known as isoflavones,
to be found in spinach, fruits, clovers,
peas, beans, and especially in soy products.

Isoflavones are of particular interest
to the perimenopausal woman since they have
a structure similar to naturally occurring
(endogenous) steroidal sex hormones.
Isoflavones have the ability to bind to oestrogen
receptors on human cells, and in women, they have
a preference for binding to the beta form
of the oestrogen receptor.
As a result, isoflavones preferentially express estrogenic
effects in the central nervous system, blood vessels,
bone and skin, and they appear to do so without causing
stimulation of the breast or uterus.[1]

However, in that isoflavones are structurally
related to endogenous estrogens, they are able
to mimic some of the effects of human oestrogen,
but to a significantly lesser degree.
It is estimated that soy isoflavones
are 1/400th to 1/1000th
the potency of the oestrogen estradiol.
Uniquely, isoflavones may also act as anti-estrogens,
much like
"Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators" (SERMs),
synthetic hormones which act selectively
as oestrogen on some organs or tissues
of the body and as anti-estrogens on others.

Isoflavones can be thought of as one of nature's SERMs.
Therapeutically, isoflavones may alleviate menopause
symptoms, and lower the risk of osteoporosis,
coronary artery disease, breast and uterine cancer.[2]

Soy Isoflavones
Red Clover Isoflavones

Botanicals
Black Cohosh

Combination products
Other Botanicals
Natural Hormones
Conclusion



Source(s)

Back - Home - Next