Menopause — it’s an inevitable occurrence for about half of the world’s population. One of the herbs thought to provide symptom relief to women experiencing this hormonal change — black cohosh — has recently received quite a hit to its claims of effectiveness.
Also known as “Actaea racemosa,” black cohosh is a native North American plant. Long been used as a treatment for muscle aches and pains, and arthritis, it has more recently turned up as a remedy for the various symptoms of menopause, including the infamous hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and vaginal dryness. It’s the roots of the plant that seem to contain the medicinal properties.
Just a reminder of the mechanics behind menopause: It’s when a woman’s body goes through hormonal changes, producing smaller amounts of estrogen and progesterone, leading to the cessation of ovulation and, eventually, menstruation. Menopause usually hits between the ages of 45 and 55. The aforementioned symptoms can vary greatly among women; some need no treatment, but some suffer greatly. That’s why both traditional and alternative medicine has come up with possible treatments.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been the treatment prescribed by doctors everywhere for some time. What is it? It consists of a pill that ups a woman’s estrogen levels, leading to a reduction of many of the uncomfortable symptoms. However, HRT was found to have major health risks, including greater risk for heart attacks, strokes, and breast cancer. Although this therapy is still in use, many women are seeking more natural therapies to help ease their discomfort.
That’s where black cohosh comes in, with its claims of addressing the symptoms of menopause, without the risks of HRT. Studies are split as to the effectiveness of this alternative remedy, so researchers continue to run trials on it. Nevertheless, many women have been drawn to it as a safe option. However, the most recent study falls on the side of “ineffective.”
The study, recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was randomized, double-blind, and placebo- controlled — this means that it was a high-quality study. The researchers looked at 351 women, between the ages of 45 and 55, each of whom had two or more “vasomotor” symptoms a day. Vasomotor refers to the nerves and muscles that are instrumental in making your blood vessels expand or contract — so the symptoms we’re talking about here are hot flashes and night sweats. Of the women studied, 52% were experiencing menopause and 48% were postmenopausal.
The female subjects were split into five groups, each receiving a different therapy: 1) 160 mg a day of black cohosh; 2) 200 mg a day of a pill that contained black cohosh and nine other herbs; 3) the supplement given to group two, plus counseling on incorporating soy into the diet; 4) HRT; or 5) placebo.
The results? Not good if you were rooting for the herbal remedies. At three, six, or 12 months, there was no difference between the symptoms of the women taking any of the herbal supplements, including black cohosh, and the women taking the placebo. Of course, the women taking HRT showed significant improvement in their hot flashes and night sweats (but let’s not forget the risk here!).
It should be noted that the women in the group taking the multi-herbal supplement and receiving soy counseling did not end up following the proper dietary recommendations. Therefore, soy wasn’t proven ineffective as an option for menopause symptom relief.
If you’re currently supplementing with black cohosh and feel that it’s helping, you don’t need to stop taking it or switch to HRT. Discuss the evidence on both of the therapies with your doctor. There are also a few things you can do on your own to try to deal with your menopausal symptoms in a safe way. For example, you might consider avoiding caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods (all which can have an effect on your blood vessels), and adding soy to your diet.
Many people also feel that acupuncture can help. It’s also been suggested that you take up some kind of relaxation exercise, such as tai chi. Talk to your gynecologist about certain steps you can take to ease some of the vaginal discomfort associated with menopause.
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Tags: Arthritis, exercise, herbal remedies
