Menopause often comes with many unwelcomed symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, low libido, and mood changes, primarily due to the drop in estrogens. Since bio-identical hormone replacement therapy is not an option for all menopausal women, alternatives need to be used. Luckily, there are several natural options that can help alleviate these annoyances.
Try taking 5-HTP to increase your serotonin levels, which has been shown to alleviate the symptoms of menopause. A good starting dose is 50 mg and working up to 200 mg. 5-HTP is best taken before bed.
GABA can help address the anxiety and insomnia that often accompanies menopause. A common dosage is 300 – 600 mg at bedtime, and 100 – 100 mg in the morning if needed.
Black Cohosh has been very well studied for the treatment of hot flashes. Typical dosing is 20 mg twice per day.
Soy isoflavones have a similar action to estrogen and can be used in conjunction with other natural therapies. Red Clover is another source of isoflavones. A good dose would be 40 – 80 mg per day.
Herbal combination formulas containing Motherwort, Licorice Root, Burdock Root and Wild Yam Root have been shown to be effective in treating hot flashes, mood changes and insomnia.
Memory loss is also a common complaint from women in menopause. Thankfully, the botanicals Ginko Biloba and Rhodiola have been shown to improve memory, attention, and cognition.
Maca is a great option for increasing estrogens and is one of the best treatments to increase a low libido. Try 500 mg a day.
Vitex, or Chase Tree Berry, can enhance progesterone and decrease hot flashes and is best taken in doses of 1,000 – 1,500 mg per day.
And finally, increasing your natural levels of endorphins can help reduce symptoms like hot flashes by up to 50%. Simple ways to do this include exercise, laughing, dancing, eating high quality diet, and engaging in romantic and sexual activities.
