Posts by Liz

Wednesday Bubble: Nutrafem promises much…will it deliver?

Posted by Liz 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?

News Flash! Just a spit away…

Posted by Liz on Nov 23, 2009 in Uncategorized | 0 comments

Have you ever wondered if  joint aches, memory lapses, dry mouth and other disorders are signs of aging or actually signs of pending illness?  Take heart. Scientists have learned that the protein content of the saliva changes as women age and that some of these changes may actually be markers of disease, in particular, diseases in which the immune system attacks itself, such as lupus.

In a study published in a recent issue of the Journal of Proteome Research, researches analyzed proteins in saliva samples taken from 532 healthy women between the ages of 20 and 30 and 55 and 65.  They found that about half of the protein types were unique in the particular age group. What’s more, older women had almost twice as many immune-type proteins in their saliva than their younger peers. The results remained even after the researchers factored in such things as age, time that the saliva was collected and whether or not the women were menopausal.

Not only researchers hope that proteins in saliva will prove to be useful in diagnosing risk of certain diseases, but they are also investigating ways in which they might be used in tests that will make diagnosis and treatment of certain age-related diseases in women easier. Saliva for example, is far more accessible and less invasive than a blood prick.

Could easier disease diagnosis be only a spit away? What a salicious thought.

Dem bones were made for dancing!

Posted by Liz on Nov 20, 2009 in bone health, exercise | 0 comments

Get on your dancing shoes!

I was inspired to read that professional dancer Erin Boag from Strictly Come Dancing (the UK’s version of Dancing with the Stars), has teamed up with the International Osteoporosis Foundation to inspire all those armchair dancers to get off their butts and work their bones a bit.  In fact, many bone experts agree that dancing may be an excellent (and non-boring) way to strengthen bones and muscle,  prevent or at least slow osteoporosis.

Mind you, this program is being funded by DAIICHI SANKYO, a pharma company that manufactures drugs that treat osteoporosis. Nevertheless, it’s an important first step towards taking a cheesy premise that attracts millions of television viewers and repackaging some of its basic elements to help people who don’t normally like to exercise to change their habits. Currently available only in Europe and through doctors’ practices, the ‘Improvement through Movement’ DVD offers some easy waltz, rumba and quick step moves.

Osteoporosis is a tremendous problem as we age. In the US, it affects approximately 10 million people, 8 million of whom are women. Worldwide, more than 200 million women suffer from osteoporosis.

I’ve long been a proponent of more natural approaches to solving what ails. And bone health is one of those things that can be easily preserved through weight-bearing physical activity and a healthy diet that incorporates vitamin D and calcium-rich foods and isoflavones. You can read more about bone health in these posts.

In the meantime, this program sounds like a terrific idea that could be easily reproduced in this country as well. What say you ‘Dancing with the Stars?‘ Can we take a page from our European friends on behalf of our US bones?

Wednesday Bubble: one pill makes you…

Posted by Liz on Nov 18, 2009 in sexual desire, sexual health | 0 comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EejZZwe1Ciw]

Have you heard about Flibanserin? Pharma Giant Boehringer-Ingelheim is entering the bedroom with an antidepressant (with a new moniker) that may change the sex lives of women everywhere!

Sorry for the sarcasm but this Bubble has “Viagra for women” written all over it. In fact, the U.S. market for sexual desire is estimated to exceed a whopping $3.5 billion a year. No wonder other companies are so eager to market testosterone to women.

So what’s the story behind Flibanserin?

Flibanserin is an antidepressant compound that is is believed to affect brain receptors and neurotransmittors that play a role in sexual response. Data presented at the European Society for Sexual Medicine conference show that in clinical studies,  flibanserin significantly improved desire, sexual experience and sexual functioning in women when taken for at least six months. The majority of the women participating  were pre-menopausal and had been diagnosed with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), a condition that is characterized by a decline in sexual desire, a loss of intimacy, and distress.

Declines in sexual desire at any point in life are terrible and not to be taken lightly. Should flibanserin becomes available in the United States, it is likely to be prescribed along with sex therapy, a move, that the company disagrees with. In fact, the company is quoted in Bloomberg News as saying that it hopes that the drug can be prescribed by itself and not as a complement to therapy. Importantly, this is where one has to start questioning the value of this drug and how it will ultimately be marketed should it ever be approved by the US Food & Drug Administration.

Many behavioral and mental health specialists will argue that “a pill has no place in the bedroom” and that sexual dysfunction is linked to factors other than physical ones, factors that need to be thoroughly explored and addressed. This holds true in particular, for  menopausal women. Indeed, evidence does show that t sexual desire in women can be affected not only by physiology but also, may vary depending on personal attitudes, experiences and context.

I don’t take issue with drugs when they are prescribed and used responsibly. But the answer to everything that ails is not a pill. With regards to sexual desire, this could not be truer.

Sex is big business. This has been borne out by the incredibly success of drugs geared towards erectile dysfunction. Companies have been racing to find an equivalent for women. Looks like Boehringher might have just gotten the gold ring.

What do you think?

Viva la sweats!

Posted by Liz on Nov 16, 2009 in hot flash, nightsweats | 0 comments

Night sweats, that is! I never thought that I’d write that but it does seem that having night sweats may actually save your life someday.

Reporting in the September/October issue of Menopause, Norwegian researchers followed up on over 800 women in menopause who had previously provided information about lifestyle and menopausal history (including vasomotor symptoms). Of the 73% of women who reported having hot flashes, 39% also reported night sweats. Women reporting both were shown to have a 28% lower risk of dying from any causes over the next 20 years. A reduced risk of dying remained even after the researchers made adjustments for past or current hormone use, body mass index, physical exercise and smoking.

Will these data make me stop the herbs and start sweating away my nights? No. But it’s good to know that vasomotor symptoms, such as night sweats, may have a role beyond “nuisance,” “disruptive,” “mood changing” and sheet-ruining!