Nutraceuticals Recommended for Menopause-Related Hot Flashes

Nutraceuticals Recommended for Menopause-Related Hot Flashes

CLEVELAND--The North American Menopause Society published anevidence-based position statement on treating menopause vasomotor symptoms(i.e., hot flashes) in the January/February issue of its journal, Menopause(11, 1:11-33) (www.menopause.org/journals/m/menopause.html).The association recommends nonprescription remedies such as combining dietaryisoflavones, black cohosh or vitamin E with lifestyle changes for relief of mildhot flashes caused by menopause, rather than conventional estrogen therapy. Noserious side effects have been associated with long-term administration of soyfoods and isoflavone supplements, black cohosh or vitamin E, and the treatmentsand clinical trials have been inconclusive as to efficacy of the therapies,according to NAMS. Estrogen therapy is still recommended for moderate or severehot flashes; however, clinical trials have associated estrogen therapy withadverse effects, including increased risks of breast cancer, stroke andthromboembolism, according to NAMS.

Phil Harvey, Ph.D., director of science and quality assurance of the NationalNutritional Foods Association (NNFA), said NAMS's literature analysis showedmost evidence is anecdotal, not clinical. However, he noted, Women have avariety of conditions and some have a very mild transition and others have avery difficult one. In their work with a doctor to customize a treatmentprogram, it should include numerous issues, like nutrition, diet, supplements,stress management, exercise and behavior modification. I would like to see moreresearch in this area to help us better understand the issues. I think it mayhappen with more research, the aging population with more women going throughthis process and some of the controversy against ERT and looking foralternatives.

Novogen, a manufacturer of isoflavone products, launched the Novagen Centerfor Isoflavone Research (NCIR) in response to NAMSs position statement. Itwill provide information to the media and consumers interested in the researchon isoflavone consumption and related health implications, according to thecompany. NCIR also released a media kit of isoflavone research materialssupplementing the NAMS position statement; a link to the electronic files can befound online at http://info.novogen.com/cfir/mediakit.php.