Sleep and menopause: four’s a charm
Daytime sleepiness? Researchers say that being in menopause, hot flashes, lack of physical activity and your partner might be the culprits. No surprises, right?
In a study appearing in the advanced online edition of the journal Maturitas, 149 women between the ages of 40 and 59 rated the frequency and intensity of their hot flashes and were evaluated for daytime sleepiness.At least half had hot flashes, of which about 43% were rated as very severe.
Not only did hot flashes increase the risk for daytime sleepiness by 2.6 fold, but, being postmenopausal increased it by as much as 6.5-fold. Being sedentary was associated with 3.4 times the risk for daytime sleepiness. What’s more having a partner that was not faithful was associated with an increase in risk by as much as 53%.
The good news is that most of these factors, save for being menopausal, can be modified or at least addressed to improve nighttime sleep and by default, decrease feelings of sleepiness during the daytime. If you feel unusually sleepy most of the time, it’s a great idea to speak to a healthcare practitioner who is helping you to manage your symptoms. There may be some important and effective steps you can take.
Read MoreNewsFlash! Estrogen, the “split-personality” chemical
Move on over estrogen! The game is up. Researchers have discovered that estrogen acts like the middlewoman when it comes to certain activity in the body. What this means for you: the potential of developing new agents that act like estrogen in the body but avoid all the negative bits, like breast cancer, ovarian cancer, heart disease and deaths from lung cancer.
The study, which was conducted in rats, showed that estrogen appears to stimulate a brain protein (i.e. calpain) that is critical to learning and memory. When it acts through calpain, it doesn’t act like a hormone (and its “wreak havoc” types of effects) but rather, like a power surger that boosts the ability to process and retain information. Researchers compare this to adrenaline, which acts like a hormone in most of the body but in the brain, helps transmit nerve signals across cells (i.e. a “neurotransmitter”).
Not only do these findings (which were published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science) change the way that scientists look at estrogen, but as mentioned, they may eventually lead to strategies that allow the medical community who espouses HRT to look elsewhere for solutions to troublesome menopausal symptoms.
Read MoreMenopause. The app.
Yes! There is an application for menopause! No longer do you need to scramble in the middle of the night to find a pen to write in your Hot Flush Diary! Now you can turn on your phone, go to the application, and voila! All your symptoms, moods swings, night sweats, hot flashes and lack of libido in one place!
Introducing My pause the must have app that allows you to track your symptoms, create a treatment plan and hey, even share it with family and friends on Twitter!
As I’ve written previously, a diary is the last thing I want to keep on my nightstand. The same goes for an application for my phone. In fact, the idea of taking notes on all of my hot flashes and night sweats and when/why/how they occur and how they make feel gets me pretty hot under the collar. As a friend said “I’m hot and grumpy and not getting sleep. Who needs an app for that?”
I’m all for having a thorough, informative vision of what you are suffering through so that you can discuss your symptoms with a licensed practitioner and come up with a viable strategy to address them. But putting menopause into a category that requires a disease tracker? That’s taking this whole “pause” thing a bit too far.
Developers – take a note from this page. This transition is a natural part of a woman’s life. It doesn’t need to be treated; it needs to be accepted and supported. I don’t want to note my symptoms/moods/fatigue/anxiety/depression/sexual desire (or lack thereof) on my phone everyday. Instead, how about “Freeze it!” The app that stops flashes in their tracks! Now, there’s an app I can get my head around!
Seriously, who thinks of this crap? What’s next? Anyone?
Read MoreMove over, red clover
There’s interesting news on the red clover front.
Although red clover may have questionable value when it comes to hot flashes (the verdict is still out with regards to whether or not it is effective) researchers are now saying that this isoflavone may be useful for reducing depression and anxiety in menopausal women.
In a study published in the online edition of Maturitas journal, over 200 menopausal women received 2-80 mg red clover capsules or sugar tablet for 90 days, took a break, and then were assigned the opposite medication for another 90 days. The researchers measured anxiety and depression at the study’s start, at 90 days and at the study’s completion.
Taking red clover reduced total anxiety and depression by as much as 77%, compared to declines following placebo (which overall, declined about 21%). This decline could likely be attributed to what is known as the placebo effect, in which some an improvement is perceived to be real.
About red clover
Red clover is a perennial whose flowers have long been dried and used therapeutically in complementary medicine. It’s a known source of calcium, chromium, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, thiamine, and vitamin C. Researchers have studied its utility in heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and of course menopause. Herbalists also use red clover topically for eczema, psoriasis and other rashes. Although most people tolerate red clover very well, it has been associated with headache, nausea and rash. Animals who graze on large amounts of red clover have also become infertile. It can also interfere with certain drugs that are metabolized by the liver and can enhance the effects of estrogens, birth control and blood thinners.
Should you take red clover for anxiety and depression? The verdict is early but it is looking promising. As always, peak to a licensed, knowledgeable practitioner before using red clover with any regularity for any condition.
Read MoreWednesday Bubble: Nutrafem promises much…will it deliver?
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?
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