Complementary and alternative therapies show little benefit in treating menopause symptomsJuly 25, 2006Insufficient evidence exists to support the use of complementary and alternative therapies to relieve menopause-related symptoms, according to a review article in the July 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Twenty-five million women will go through menopause in the next decade, and many of them will experience hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, sleep problems and other associated symptoms. Approximately 40 percent of women seek medical help for these complaints, according to background information in the article. After the Women's Health Initiative, a large clinical trial of hormone therapy, was halted because of an increased risk of breast cancer, many physicians and patients began to seek other options for menopausal symptoms. Anne Nedrow, M.D., Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center and Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, and colleagues reviewed 70 previous studies of alternative and complementary therapies for menopause-related symptoms. Forty-eight of the studies examined vitamins, proteins, complete diets or other biologically based treatments; nine focused on mind-body therapies, including meditation and guided imagery; one studied osteopathic manipulation, a body-based therapy; two looked at the energy-based treatments reflexology and magnet therapy; and 10 assessed whole medical systems, such as traditional Chinese medicine or ayurvedic medicine (a traditional therapy from India that includes yoga and dietary modifications). Although some of the individual studies suggested benefits for certain therapies, the overall quality and quantity of data was not sufficient to recommend any of the treatments, the authors write. The 48 studies of biologically based treatments had mixed results. For example, of 15 fair- or good-quality studies of the soy-derived compounds known as phytoestrogens, only four suggested the supplements provided a benefit in relieving menopause symptoms. In the four qualifying studies of black cohosh, the root of a native North American shrub, one large study showed an overall improvement in several symptoms, while three did not show any benefit for hot flashes. The studies of energy, mind-body and other types of therapies suggested few benefits for these treatments for menopause-related symptoms. Many of the studies had a large placebo effect, meaning that even women who were not assigned to receive active therapy still reported improvement in their symptoms. "The large placebo effect is consistent with preexisting work of menopausal hormonal therapies," the authors write. "A study of estrogen compared with placebo reported a 50 percent improvement in frequency of hot flashes in the placebo group. The placebo effect likely plays an important role in the expanding number of dietary supplements marketed to menopausal women." Because many women are using alternative and complementary therapies to treat their symptoms, often without telling their physicians, additional rigorous studies are needed to identify which of these treatments are safe and effective, the authors write. In the meantime, "the most important thing that the health professionals can do for symptomatic menopausal women is to encourage open communication that allows patients to disclose treatments they are using," they conclude. "Women value partnership, choice and shared decision making. Because there is no universal menopausal presentation or treatment, it is essential that health care professionals provide accurate information and options for midlife women." JAMA and Archives Journals |
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| Related Menopause Current Events and Menopause News Articles Pharmacists can play key role in fight against osteoporosis: U of A study University of Alberta researcher Nese Yuksel says pharmacists could be integral to the education and screening of people for osteoporosis, as pharmacists are easily accessible and are playing a greater role in health promotion and disease prevention. Total fat, trans fat linked to higher incidence of ischemic stroke Post-menopausal women who reported consuming the most daily dietary fat had a 40 percent higher incidence of clot-caused strokes compared to women who ate the least amount, according to research presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2010. Hormone Changes During Menopause Increases Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke When women hear the word menopause, they often think about hot flashes, hormone shifts and mood swings. But what about heart disease? Inhibiting serotonin in gut could cure osteoporosis An investigational drug that inhibits serotonin synthesis in the gut, administered orally once daily, effectively cured osteoporosis in mice and rats reports an international team led by researchers from Columbia University Medical Center, in the Feb. 7 issue of Nature Medicine. Estrogen-only HRT may increase risk of asthma after menopause Oestrogen-only hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may increase the risk of developing asthma after the menopause, suggests a large scale study published ahead of print in the journal Thorax. Prolactin blocks oncogene associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer Researchers from the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson have found a mechanism by which a hormone responsible for milk production blocks an oncogene that makes breast cancer more aggressive. Early menopause can result in earlier onset dementia Women experiencing an early onset of menopause could develop dementia at a younger age. Research by Tonnie Coppus of Erasmus MC has indicated this. Estrogen in the Fight Against Schizophrenia Many American women are prescribed estrogen to combat the negative effects of menopause, such as bone loss and mood swings. Now, new evidence from a Tel Aviv University study suggests that hormone replacement therapy might also protect them - and younger women - from schizophrenia as well. HIV-infected postmenopausal women at high risk for bone fractures According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), postmenopausal HIV-infected women have a high prevalence of low bone mineral density and high bone turnover placing them at high risk for future bone fractures. Nanoscale changes in collagen are a tipoff to bone health Using a technique that provides detailed images of nanoscale structures, researchers at the University of Michigan and Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital have discovered changes in the collagen component of bone that directly relate to bone health. More Menopause Current Events and Menopause News Articles |
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