Wednesday Bubble: Nutrafem promises much…will it deliver?

Posted by on Nov 25, 2009 in herbal medicine, hot flash, nightsweats | 4 comments

Not gonna burst this one. At least not yet. Because there’s a new botanical formulation in town and the evidence supporting its effectiveness looks pretty strong!

Nutrafem® is a supplement containing a proprietary blend of phytoestrogens – namely Eucommia ulmoides bark (a deciduous rubber tree whose bark has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine practice for centuries) and Vigna radiata (mungbeans).

In a study that appears in the Advanced Online Edition of Menopause, Nutrafem was shown to reduce the number of hot flashes and night sweats that women were experiencing by 26% over a 12-week time period. What’s more, among the 156 postmenopausal women studied, symptoms were reduced in almost half of the women. At the start of the study, participants were reportedly experiencing at least 21 or more hot flushes or night sweats weekly, and at least a third of these were described as being severe to moderate.

Earlier studies have also been favourable, suggesting that Nutrafem also leads to significant improvements in general health, body aches/pains, energy and fatigue, and emotional wellbeing.

This formulation appears to be safe and reported side effects during use have been minimal. Importantly, both of the key ingredients have a long history of as food or herbal medicines; the mung bean in particular has been used to address effects of radiation during breast cancer therapy, such as headache, fatigue or sleeplessness. Additionally, while Nutrafem appears to activate estrogen receptors, it does not promote the proliferation of breast cancer cells.

I have high hopes for Nutrafem. Have you tried it?

4 Comments

  1. 11-29-2009

    Liz:

    Every good thing needs a warning label. An estrogen by any other name is still an estrogen: Phytoestrogens have the some risk/benefit profile as mammalian or synthetically derived estrogens. They should be avoided by women at high-risk for breast cancer and blood clots.

    Ben

    • 11-29-2009

      Not sure if i agree that you can equate artificial estrogens with phytoestrogens but I do agree that users must be aware of all risk/benefits before trying. Thanks for your comment!

  2. 12-20-2009

    In recent years, a number of exciting new treatments for breast cancer have become available. Many of these treatments are called targeted therapies because they target specific characteristics of cancer cells and don’t harm healthy, normal cells. New targeted therapies are emerging on a regular basis, and the results of clinical trials and studies of these new medications are encouraging. Knowledge is power and together we can make a difference! Happy Holidays!

    • 12-20-2009

      Thanks for the feedback but what does this have to do with phytoestrogens?

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