Menopause is the physiological cessation of menstrual cycles associated with advancing age in women.  Most women experience menopause between 40 – 58 years of age.  The most common symptoms of menopause are hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, headaches and sleep disturbance but can include mood swings, depression and anxiety.

The cessation of menstruation occurs from the resulting loss of ovarian follicular activity.  It is heralded by the menopausal transition – a period when the endocrine, biological and clinic features of approaching menopause begin.  Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) has long been used as a marker for menopause transition. 

Symptoms of menopause can be interpreted as resulting primarily from the profound fall in estradiol occurring over a 3 -4 year period around final menses and can contribute to the loss of bone mineral density in late perimenopause.  Testerone changes little during the transition and after menopause and may even rise.

Hot flushes are a result of estrogen withdrawal and maybe experienced by 75% of women and may begin as early as 2 years before cessation of menses.

In the absence of functional estrogen, females exhibit enhanced anxiety and decreased concentrations of serotonin or dopamine in several brain regions.  This reduction can cause neurological symptoms and flushing associated with menopause. 

Menopause is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease because estrogen withdrawal has a detrimental effect on cardiovascular functions and metabolism – including changes in body fat distribution from gynoid to android pattern, reduced glucose tolerance, abnormal plasma lipids, increased blood pressure, increased sympathetic tone, endothelial dysfunction and vascular inflammation.

Postmenopausal women tend to gain weight from the first year of menopause.  Increases in body fat and weight are associated with detrimental effects on insulin resistance and are associated with insulin sensitivity and increased blood pressure.  The developments of high blood pressure and diabetes are important risk factors for cardiovascular disease, especially in post menopausal women.

Multiple lines of evidence have confirmed the validity of estrogen withdrawal, after periods of sustained high levels, as a migraine trigger in premenopausal women.

Inflammation markers also have recently shown to be important and independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease in post menopausal women.  Circulating markers of inflammation including high sensitivity to CRP and IL-6 are associated with increased cardiovascular risk.

Because both estradiol and progesterone have shown to regulate TNF-a (inflammatory marker) the loss of either or both with menopause could affect insulin resistance through its effect on production of inflammatory markers.

Researchers have found that depressive symptoms are correlated with changes in hormone production.  The strongest risk for depression was a fluctuating level of female hormone estradiol.   The researchers say that hot flushes can raise the risk of depression or that depression may result from the same hormonal changes that cause hot flushes.

Oestrogen has shown to have benefited the brain and effects mood through neurotransmitter and modular activities and providing protection from generalized neurological degeneration.

Oestrogen has an effect on the form of obesity, its deficiency causing women to attain the metabolic syndrome of overweight/obese men.  Exercise can reduce the effect of this metabolic syndrome.

Long term HRT is no longer recommended as it increases the risk of Breast Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, promotes Vascular disease and promotes CRP.

It has been found that natural hormones reduce inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk and the primary symptoms of menopause.

NUTRITIONAL AND HERBAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Metagenics Relaxan – Bypleurum complex for nervous tension arising from female hormonal patterns – particularly menopause

3 tablets twice daily with food

Metagenics Black Cohosh Plus

1 tablet twice daily

Metagenics Estrofactors – healthy hormone metabolism and detoxification particularly during menopause

1 Capsule 3 times daily

Metagenics Femme Oestroplex – B Vitamins, Black Cohosh and non-soy isoflavones from Pueroria

1 tablet per day

Metagenics Ultra DHA – where stress and anxiety are indicated and for cardiovascular protection and poor memory

2 Capsules twice daily

Metagenics Ultra EPA – for mood and depression

2 Capsules twice daily

Metagenics Kaprex – where inflammation is implicated

2 tablets 3 times daily for 4 – 6 days then 2 tablets twice daily with food

Metagenics Somnium – contains Panatonin & Lactium – to assist with sleep

Takes 3 Capsules ½ - 1 hour before bed

Metagenics Insulex – for healthy glucose metabolism – insulin resistance

1 – 2 capsules three times daily or

Metagenics ResistX – improve diabetes

2 tablets twice daily

Metagenics CardioX – High potency Taurine, Glycine & magnesium for cardiovascular health – where risk factor for cardiovascular disease

2 level teaspoons (9gms) 1 or 2 times daily with water

LIFESTYLE /DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS

Prime priority – Exercise of 30 mins  daily– moderate intensity  –i.e. brisk walk of 3.5kms

Ketogenic diet is fat accumulation/obesity is a problem

Blood Type diet – low reactive diet

Reduce stimulants like coffee, alcohol, tea and carbonated drinks

Reduce Fast foods, starchy refined carbohydrates

Drink 2 litres of live water daily

Use the bedroom for its intended purpose to reduce sleep disturbance