Health warning over the ‘natural’ remedies for tackling the menopause

WOMEN who use alternative remedies to counter the symptoms of the menopause could be risking their health, say experts.

More than half turned to complementary and alternative medicine because they worried about going through hormone replacement therapy, according to a poll.

But treatments such as untested Chinese medicines, acupuncture, supplements or seeing a herbalist could cause problems if they are used at the same time as conventional drugs for other ailments, say US researchers.

GPs are now being urged to warn of the potential dangers of self-prescribing complementary remedies either while taking medicines for other conditions or alongside HRT.

Women who go ahead without their doctor’s knowledge ‘may raise important safety issues’ and risk ‘possible herb- drug interactions’ with other medicines.

The use of supplements such as Vitamin D and various minerals may also interact with treatments taken by those suffering bone problems, researchers said.

The menopause, which marks the end of a woman’s fertility, can cause a variety of symptoms including hot flushes, night sweats, joint and back pain, headaches, fatigue,

‘Much to be learned’

bladder weakness, depression and anxiety. The average duration of the menopause is four years, but some women may experience symptoms for up to a decade. But a study of 10,000 women suggests that 53 per cent of menopausal women use at least one type of alternative medicine because they are put off by the ‘increasing risk’ of HRT – which is used to boost their declining hormone levels and lessen symptoms.

Various studies over the past decade have linked HRT drugs with increased risk of blood clots, strokes and breast cancer. Dr Wulf Utian, director of the North American Menopause Society, wrote in the journal Menopause: ‘There is still much to be learned in the complementary and alternative medicine arena and women need to understand that just because something appears natural does not necessarily mean it is without risk, especially for certain populations.’

The study, which looked at Australian women born between 1946 and 1951, found that massage therapists were the most commonly consulted alternative practitioner – with 26 per cent of women aged between 56 and 64 visiting them. Just 6 per cent used acupunctur- ists and 4 per cent used Chinese medicine. Some 68 per cent used vitamin and mineral supplements. The most common symptoms were stiff and painful joints (64 per cent) and back pain (55 per cent), while 39 per cent had hot flushes.

US research in 2006 claimed alternative remedies showed few benefits other than a placebo effect.

One popular treatment used to treat hot flushes – black cohosh root – was found to benefit menopausal women in one study but not in another three.