Managing the Menopause

Want to reduce night sweats and mood swings? We look at the best supplements and vitamins for menopausal women

From hot flushes to night sweats, there’s no doubt that going through menopause can be seriously uncomfortable. Symptoms usually start between the ages of 45 and 55, but around one in 100 women experience them before the age of 40. Treatment like hormone replacement therapy can help, but there are also some steps you can take to combat your symptoms one by one.

Mood swings

Menopause can cause anxiety, depression and mood swings. Things like cognitive behavioural therapy and self-care activities such as yoga, meditation and exercise can be of benefit. Vitamin D can also help to regulate your mood; several studies carried out on people with depression found that vitamin D supplements majorly improved their quality of life and reduced the severity of their symptoms. We get the majority of our vitamin D from the sun, but as Ireland isn’t the sunniest of countries and most of us try to protect our skin from UV damage with SPF, vitamin D deficiency is very common in this country. It’s definitely worth considering a supplement!

Brain fog

Women going through menopause and perimenopause often report difficulty concentrating and remembering things. If you would like to boost your brain power, supplements like Omega-3 fatty acids (also found in oily fish and chia seeds) can help your cognition as well as boosting your mood. Getting enough sleep, managing stress and eating a healthy diet will also help you to focus.

Thinning hair

Lower levels of progesterone and oestrogen in the body can cause your hair to thin and look lackluster. Zinc, which is found in foods like oysters, beef, eggs and spinach, and iron, which is found in red meat, beans, lentils and nuts, can help your locks to grow back. Your hair is also made of protein, so it’s important to make sure you’re getting

enough of that in your diet.

Low libido

It’s quite normal for women to have less interest in sex while going through menopause. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be a big help with this, but if you’re looking for more ways to boost your libido, consider supplements like magnesium, vitamin A and E which can all aid you getting your mojo back.

Bone loss

Bone loss can become a serious problem once your hormone levels drop, and making sure you’re getting enough calcium is very important. Good sources of calcium in your diet include milk, cheese, yoghurt, dark leafy greens and soy. Vegans should take extra care to get enough calcium and consider a supplement if your levels are too low (but chat to your doctor first).

Insomnia

Both the physical symptoms (like night sweats and hot flushes) and the emotional symptoms (like anxiety) can disrupt your sleep. Magnesium, which is found in leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, meat and fish and can also be taken as a supplement, helps your body and brain to relax by calming down your nervous system, and it also regulates the hormone melatonin, which controls your sleepwake cycles. B vitamins are also known to help insomnia and a deficiency can cause you to wake up repeatedly during the night. Good sources of B vitamins include whole grains, eggs, meat, legumes, dairy products, seeds and nuts.

Hot flushes

Studies have shown vitamin E can be handy when it comes to reducing hot flushes – try a supplement or increase your consumption of foods like spinach, red peppers, peanut butter, sunflower seeds and almonds. You should also cut down on caffeine and alcohol, which can interfere with your nervous system and make night sweats worse.

Making sure you’re getting enough calcium is important