Natural hormonal support
Perimenopause is a process that happens over a number of years before menstruation finally ceases.
AT 52, Sheila seems to have it all together. Her daughter is already 24 and working at a bank.
A single mother, Sheila runs a small catering business. The only problem of late seems to be how she feels as a woman. Think upside-down hormones, stress and looming menopause.
The last two years have been especially challenging for Sheila as she became her mother’s primary caregiver, the later having suffered a stroke.
Through this experience, Sheila feels as though she has aged a good decade. Her usually problem-free skin has turned dull and dry, she feels hot and bothered even when the air conditioner is on at full blast, and the weight, especially in the belly area, has piled on relentlessly.
These physical symptoms have defintely affected Sheila’s state of mind as well. Sheila’s daughter prefers to hang out with her friends more and more often these days, due in part to her mother’s blue moods.
Although Sheila is still having her periods, these are no longer regular. To be honest, Sheila does not feel good about herself. She is often tired and not motivated to work. It’s as though the whole world is against her and she no longer has any energy left to bother about anything.
The ageing female
How a woman looks and feels, especially after 40, depends on how much she cares for her needs during this phase of life. This cannot be accomplished merely by the use of expensive skincare products, but by knowing how to attend to one’s feminine needs at a time when hormonal changes are expected.
Unknown to many women, menopause does not occur over 24 hours. Between the ages of 40 and 55 years, different women would have started undergoing some level of hormonal change towards menopause in a phase of life known as perimenopause.
Perimenopause (defined as the time around menopause) is a process that happens over a number of years before menstruation finally ceases. Symptoms include a slowdown in metabolism (weight gain), dryness (of skin and vulvo-vaginal areas), fine lines and sagging skin, lack of energy, brain drain, blue moods and heat intolerance.
If internal hormonal changes driven by ageing is not bad enough, external hormones (xenohormones) found in our foods, water and medicines (oral contraceptives or hormone pills) all contribute to worsening of a woman’s already upset hormonal balance.
Oestrogen matters
Oestrogen is the primary female sex hormone. Perimenopause (or midlife as it is more commonly known) is a time largely driven by oestrogen, a hormone which influences no less than 400 different functions in a woman’s body.
Unknown to many, it is not the highs or lows of oestrogen that causes distressful symptoms in women, but the ups-and-downs of hormonal swings that messes with a woman’s physical, emotional and psychological well-being.
Oestrogen controls almost all aspects of a woman’s femininity – energy, regulation of periods, libido, sense of well-being, skin youthfulness, memory and body flexibility, amongst others. This is the reason why various uncomfortable symptoms appear when oestrogen levels swing.
Hormonal imbalances can happen at any time throughout a woman’s life. However, these are most prominent during the period of adolescense (13-20 years), post pregnancy and perimenopause (40–55 years).
Hormonal imbalance
Unfortunately, women won’t know when hormonal imbalances will occur. They only feel the symptoms when it happens and suffer for it.
As such, it is important for women to provide their bodies with the support that it needs so that it can cope when hormonal changes occur.
But how can women balance up their hormones if they do not know whether their oestrogen levels are up or down? Chemical-type hormone replacement therapies only add hormones to the body but do not regulate its levels when oestrogen levels are high. This form of treatment is therefore not helpful during perimenopause.
Natural plant-based phytoestrogens, on the other hand, have been shown in clinical studies to be able to modulate hormonal imbalances in women.
Balance with isoflavones
Phytoestogens are plant-source oestrogen-like compounds with the ability to mimic the actions of oestrogen in the body.
Soy isoflavones comprise the best researched category of phytoestrogens used in the management of symptoms associated with hormonal ups-and-downs.
These help regulate erratic oestrogen levels by filling in the gaps when oestrogen levels are low, and by competing with the body’s own potent oestrogen when levels are high. By doing so, soy isoflavones effectively regulate hormonal ups and downs in the body to bring balance.
Unfortunately, good quality soy isoflavones are rare because cheap soy sources are rife, what with 90% of soy products in the market being genetically-modified (GMO). To care for your hormones, here are some helpful tips how to choose a quality soy isoflavone:
Organic vs non-GMO: GMO crops are those containing genetic material that have been artificially altered so as to produce a desired characteristic.
According to the USDA, in 2012, more than 93% of soy planted was “herbicide tolerant”, engineered to withstand chemicals produced to kill competing weeds. One of the main arguments behind creating these engineered crops is that farmers then need to use less herbicide and pesticide.
On one hand, it makes farms more eco-friendly, say proponents of genetically modified (GM) crops. GM seeds also allow farmers to spend less on “inputs” (chemicals), thereby making a greater profit.
A non-GMO soy source is not necessarily an organic-sourced crop. Organic-sourced soy is produced without the use of chemical fertilisers, pesticides, or other artificial chemicals. This certification is superior when looking at the differences between soy isoflavone products.
So opt for an organic product and not just one which is nonGMO, which means that it is treated with pesticides or other chemicals.
When it comes to hormonal care, a certified organic soy isoflavone product offers peace of mind.
Active ingredient: Most people know to look for omega 3 fatty acids in the form of EPA/DHA as an active ingredient when selecting fish oils. Some may even know that it is the GLA active ingredient to look for when selecting an evening primrose oil product.
What are women supposed to look for when selecting a quality soy isoflavone product?
The answers are the active ingredients genistein and diadzein. Clinical studies which show that soy isoflavones deliver benefits of firmer skin, stronger bones and menstrual regulation all rely on the active ingredients genistein and diadzein being present in known amounts.
Without these hormonal-balancing factors in a soy isoflavone product, it is no different than drinking soy milk in an attempt to acquire fairer skin.
For results you can rely on, be sure to check that your product contains the active isoflavones genistein and diadzein.
Double standardisation: Most soy extracts are standardised to about 40% of soy isoflavones. However, this form of standardisation isn’t enough as it does not show how much of the active ingredients genistein and diadzein are present in the formulations.
For best results, a double standardisation product is desirable, one that additionally standardises the active ingredients genistein and diadzein for optimal hormonal benefits.
Embracing femininity
Sheila was lost when she first attempted to look for an organic soy isoflavone product at the pharmacy. The choices were overwhelming and she almost gave up.
However, guided by choosing organic, looking for the active ingredients genistein and diadzein, coupled with looking for a double standardisation product, she finally located the right soy isoflavone product.
Although sceptical, Sheila was determined not to live another day doing nothing about her feminine well-being. After three months of taking organic genistein, Sheila feels like a new woman. She wakes up refreshed and has more energy, having had a good night’s sleep.
Even her skin and periods have been behaving well the last few months.
Although Sheila has not lost much weight, she is more motivated to eat healthier and is even going to the gym. Her life still isn’t a bed of roses, but Sheila’s renewed feminine confidence has translated to an ability to seeing life in a much brighter light than before.
This article is brought to you by Nuvanta Nuvaceuticals division. For further information, contact 03-5636 3758 or email pharmacist@nuvanta. com. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.