Nature's Life Menopause Support Products:

• Menopause Formula*

Other Nature's Life products containing natural phyto-estrogens:

• Chocolate Healthy Soy Meal Replacement
• Vanilla Healthy Soy Meal Replacement
• Super-Green Pro-96™ Soy Protein
• Super-Blue Pro-96™ Soy Protein
• Super-Red Pro-96™ Soy Protein
• Pro-Life™ Soy Protein
• Protein 95™ Soy Protein
• Regal Pro-Meal™ Soy Protein
• Golden Flax Seed Oil (Softgels)
• Golden Flax Seed Oil (Liquid)
• Golden Flax Meal

Facts About Menopause

Menopause eventually affects all women.  Menopause is just as it sounds: the "pausing" or cessation, of menses. Menstrual activity slows, usually over a period of a few years  and then ceases. It is a natural phenomenon that has conventionally been viewed as a "disease," and "treated" with estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). With increasing knowledge and changes in attitudes, natural methods of managing the uncomfortable effects of menopause are becoming desirable. One natural herbal solution is Nature's Life Menopause Formula*.

Menopause is common to all women, but is a completely individual experience. Women can start as early as their mid-30s, or as late as their late-50s. It can last a couple of years, or several years. Some women experience severe discomfort, while others have very minor complaints.  Menopause can also occur earlier as a result of the failure of the pituitary gland or due to surgical removal of the ovaries.

Menopause occurs as the ovaries produce less estrogen. Without estrogen to stimulate ovulation, the menstrual periods cease. For many women, menopause is associated with one or more transient effects such as hot flashes, negativity, anxiety, mood swings, fatigue, chills, irregular sleep patterns or vaginal dryness.

The fluctuating hormone levels that often occur during menopause can cause emotional and physical discomfort. In particular, surges of luteinizing hormone (LH) produced by the pituitary gland, cause “hot flashes.” The LH "surges" in an attempt to compensate for the decrease in estrogen levels. A hot flash may start with a feeling of discomfort in the abdominal area followed by a chill and a flushing of heat moving upwards to the head. The face becomes red and sweating is followed by exhaustion.

Nature’s Life Menopause Formula* is a natural herbal remedy that is doctor formulated and scientifically validated to provide relief during menopause.*        

A Natural Remedy - Black Cohosh Herbal Phyto-Estrogen

Natural plant estrogens, called phyto-estrogens, are related in structure to estrogen  and help ease some of the discomfort of menopause.*  One unique plant source of phyto-estrogens is native American black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa).

A standardized extract from the rhizome (underground stem) of black cohosh, has been used clinically for more than 40 years in Europe, and more than 200 years by American Indians, to ease the effects of menopause .*3

Black cohosh contains compounds that bind to estrogen receptors and work synergistically to reduce LH secretion.3

In a clinical trial involving 110 menopausal women, standardized black cohosh root extract supplemented daily for two months significantly reduced LH levels, compared to a placebo.4  Another study of 60 women confirmed the effectiveness of standardized black cohosh root extract to help alleviate the discomforts of menopause.5

Side effects of standardized black cohosh root extract seem to be limited to minor gastrointestinal discomfort. At daily dosages as high as 160 mg, no toxicity is evident. Caution: one source noted that no long-term studies regarding the use of black cohosh had been done, therefore the recommendation was to limit its use to 6 months or less.6 Pregnant or lactating women should not use this product.

Antioxidant Vitamins Also Help

Vitamin E, as a nutritional aid during menopause, was first studied in the 1940s. Several of these early studies showed promising results for menopausal women supplementing with vitamin E.7,8 Although there have been no follow-up studies to this early research, some clinicians continue to link vitamin E to reducing the discomforts associated with menopause.*

Vitamin C, combined with the antioxidant flavonoid hesperidin, has been demonstrated in one study to provide a measure of relief from some menopausal discomforts.9

Food-Source Phyto-Estrogen Blend

Phyto-estrogens from some plant sources other than black cohosh are also supportive for menopausal women,* including soy beans, wild yam, rice, flax seeds, and amaranth. These foods contain phyto-estrogens and have been used historically for the support of the gynecological health of women.*

Australian researchers compared the ability of different food source phyto-estrogens to alleviate the discomforts of menopause.10  A group of 58 menopausal women ate diets with either wheat (containing enterolactones) or soy (containing isoflavones). The wheat group had 25 percent fewer hot flashes while the soy group reduced hot flashes by an impressive 40 percent.*10

A combination of soy beans and flax seeds was shown in a three-month study of 145 menopausal women to significantly reduce some of the more common symptoms of menopause.11

Another study of 40 menopausal women showed that soy protein provides a 45% reduction in hot flashes.2

Nature's Life Menopause Formula,* combined with an appropriate exercise program and healthy diet, will help women through this potentially difficult stage in life. Be pro-active and take control of your body!

References

1. Martin PM, Horwitz KB, Ryan DS, McGuire WL. Phytoestrogen interaction with estrogen receptors in human breast cancer cells. Endocrinology 1978;103(5):1860-7.

2. Albertazzi P, Pansini F, Bonaccorsi G, et al. The effect of dietary soy supplementation on hot flushes. Obstet Gynecol 1998;91:6-11.

3. Brinker F. Macrotys. Eclectic Med J 1996;II:2-4.

4. Duker EM, et al. Effects of extracts from Cimicifuga racemosa on gonadotropin release in menopausal women and ovariectomized rats. Planta Medica 1991;57(5):420-424.

5. Lehmann WE, Riedel HH. Klinische und endokrinologische untersuchungen zur therapie ovariellrausfallserscheinungennach hysterektomie unter belassung der adnexe. Zentralblatt Fuer Gynackologie 1988;110:611-618.

6. Snow JM. Sprint 1996. Cimicifuga racemosa (L) Nutt. (Ranunculaceae). The Protocol Journal of Botanical Medicine, pp. 17-19.

7. Perloff WH. Treatment of the menopause. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1949;58:684-94.

8. Gozan HA. The use of vitamin E in treatment of the menopause. NY State J Med 1952;52:1289.

9. Smith CJ. Non-hormonal control of vaso-motor flushing in menopausal patients. Chicago Medicine March 7, 1964.

10. Murkies AL, et al. Dietary flour supplementation decreases postmenopausal hot flushes: effect of soy and wheat. Maturitas 1995;21(3):189-195.

11. Rzezinski A, Adlercreutz H, et al. Short-term effects of phytoestrogen-rich diet on postmenopausal women. J North Amer Menopause Society 1997;4(2):89-94.