Chinese Herbs Improve Menopause Symptoms

HONG KONGEr-xian decoction (EXD), a Chinese herbal blend formula proved safe and effective in treating hot flashes in perimenopausal women, according to a newly published study in Menopause.

In the randomized, double blind, controlled trial, researchers from the University of Hong Kong studied 101 perimenopausal women for 12 weeks (Menopause. 2013 Feb 25.). Half of the women consumed a 15-gram dosage of EXD, while the others took a placebo. Women in the EXD group reduced the average frequency of hot flashes from 5.8 to 2.2 daily, compared to 5.0 to 2.4 in the placebo group. The average hot flash score was reduced from 19.6 to 4.9 (EXD) compared to placebo's decrease from 16.6 to 7.0. Researchers noted no serious adverse events.

Increasingly, women are turning to natural solutions to manage menopause. Read "Plant Medicine for Menopause" for a roundup of the most popular ingredients on the market.