Surviving Perimenopause - The Natural Way

Surviving Perimenopause

by Karen Kaufman, MS, CCN

Many of my clients are women, ranging in age from 35 to 50 years. Over the last few months many of these patients have been referred to me by their primary care physician or gynecologist after being told that they were experiencing 'perimenopause.' The almost endless list of symptoms being reported includes menstrual irregularities, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, skin changes, fatigue, decreased libido, mood swings, weight gain, depression, anxiety, changes in memory and cognition, sleep disturbance, hair loss, acne, heart palpitations, nausea, headaches, and increased susceptibility to urinary tract infections.

How women transition from their childbearing years through menopause varies widely. Some women get through perimenopause with virtually no symptoms, while others experience many of the complaints listed above for as long as 10 years!

In premenstrual syndrome (PMS), symptoms are usually limited to the week preceding the onset of the menses. In the case of perimenopause, symptoms can come and go, with varying intensity, throughout the month. Now try to imagine coping with these ever-fluctuating and distressing symptoms while trying to manage a career, maintain a stable relationship with your significant other, and manage a household with or without children, and you’ve just put yourself in the shoes of millions of women.

Understanding Perimenopause

In perimenopause, the ovaries—the cornerstone of a woman’s reproductive system—are beginning to wear out. At puberty the ovaries contain about 6 or 7 million follicles, ripe with immature eggs. Now there are fewer follicles, and those that remain are no longer in optimum condition. The ovaries therefore produce less of the sex hormones required to help follicles mature.

Sex hormones don’t only affect ovulation — virtually every tissue in a woman’s body contains receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. This is why, during perimenopause, a woman experiences system-wide symptoms, including problems with cognition, GI disturbances, and mood related disorders.

Obviously, since every woman experiences different symptoms, no single solution will work for everyone. There are, however, some steps every woman can take to help relieve symptoms of perimenopause.

Supplements for Perimenopause

To start, I recommend every woman take a good, broad-spectrum multi-vitamin, multi-mineral formula. Also, high-potency B-complex supplements (such as VRP’s Extension B-Plex) may help one reclaim emotional stability.

Natural Hormone Therapy

The substance that seems to have the greatest positive effect overall during this period of life is natural progesterone cream. During perimenopause, a woman can experience both estrogen dominance and estrogen deficiency. Progesterone modulates estrogen levels and relieves many menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, sleep disturbances, and weight gain. Natural progesterone (like that contained in VRP’s HerBalance Cream™) can also help build bone density and is protective against endometrial and breast cancer.

DHEA

Other important players in the nutritional supplement/hormone category are DHEA, pregnenolone and melatonin. DHEA is my first recommendation for women experiencing loss of libido, fatigue, and depression. Most women convert DHEA very efficiently to testosterone, which is important for maintaining libido, a positive sense of well-being and combating fatigue. DHEA may also enhance memory, alertness and cognition, while helping to maintain strong bones and preserve muscle mass.

Pregnenolone, the precursor of DHEA and progesterone, also plays an important role in preserving cognitive function.

Melatonin

Sleep disturbances can also be improved dramatically with melatonin, which is also among the most important and most cost-effective anti-aging nutrients.

Alternatives to Hormone Therapy

Many women I counsel report that Black Cohosh is very effective for relieving their hot flashes. These anecdotal reports are also backed by extensive research. Black Cohosh is an herb that often works even better when combined with other herbs, such as Red Clover, gamma oryzanol or soy isoflavones. And since Black Cohosh is NOT a phytoestrogen, it poses little or no risk to women who are breast cancer survivors or who have a strong family history of breast cancer. VRP’s HerBalance II formula contains Gamma Oryzanol and botanical extracts of soy, Black Cohosh, and Tribulus Terrestris.

Another non-hormonal approach to hot flashes is vitamin E, at effective doses in the range of 800 IUs.

5-HTP for Hot Flashes

An article in the March 15, 2002 Journal of Clinical Oncology suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (SSRIs) may help to reduce hot flashes. Based upon this new research, I believe that 5-HTP (which also increases brain serotonin levels) may also help to control hot flashes that haven't responded to other approaches.

Kava Kava for Anxiety

Many women may experience anxiety during perimenopause—often, for the first time in their lives. For these women, Kava Kava may offer a lot of relief. Although Kava has received some negative press from alleged liver problems in Germany, I have never seen anyone experience liver problems with Kava. Dr. Dean has extensively researched the literature, and the only well-documented side effect is dermatitis, caused by prolonged use at extremely high doses. And even in those suffering from dermatitis—which resolves quickly after discontinuing or reducing the dosage—there were no reports of liver dysfunction.

Finally, as a further prophylactic measure against bone loss—which increases at this time—I recommend Xylitol. Xylitol (available from VRP as Unique Sweet™) is a low-calorie sweetener (60% fewer calories than table sugar) that has been found to not only inhibit bone loss, but to actually restore bone density (4-8 teaspoons per day appear to be an adequate dose).

Conclusion

This is only a brief outline, and just as no two women are alike, no two women will respond in the same way to these supplements. It may be necessary to try two or three supplements, in various combinations, before finding the best remedy.

I would also be remiss if I neglected to stress the importance of diet, exercise, and stress control during this time in a woman’s life. Eat adequate levels of protein, cut back on refined carbohydrates, find ways to minimize stress, and be sure to exercise.

The overall message here is that women don’t need to suffer the many discomforts of perimenopause. With the guidance of a good holistic practitioner, the world of natural remedies can be negotiated with great success and almost everyone can achieve a better quality of life.

The information in this article is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional, and has not been approved by the U.S. FDA.

Copyright 2001 by Vitamin Research Products, Inc. (VRP) The use of information found in Vitamin Research News for commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission from VRP.