No evidence that herbal medicines help menopause
Herbal remedies taken to relieve menopause 'may have no impact'
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Wednesday, 14, Jan 2009 04:38
Herbal remedies commonly taken to relieve menopausal symptoms may have no impact at all, a new study has shown.
Substances including black cohosh, red clover, dong quai, evening primrose oil, and ginseng are taken by numerous women to aid the troublesome ailments associated with the menopause, including hot flushes and night sweats.
But according to research published in the January issue of the Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin (DTB), there is little or no strong evidence either way for the efficacy of most of the remedies.
Between 30 per cent and 70 per cent of women in industrialised countries will experience symptoms similar to those mentioned above during the menopause, with most experiencing the problems for around four years.
In around one in ten women, however, the symptoms can last more than 12 years.
While remedies such as black cohosh and red clover are frequently espoused as effective treatments, insufficient research has been carried out into their combinations with prescription medicines, according to DTB.
The bulletin's review of herbal preparations also expressed concern over the safety of many of the remedies, with some assumed to be consumable on the grounds that they are "natural", the authors said.
There is "no convincing evidence" that red clover extract is effective, DTB added, and little evidence one way or another for dong quai, evening primrose oil, wild yam, chaste tree, hops, or sage.