Women worldwide will likely suffer at some point in their lives from female hormone imbalance syndromes; the two most common being menopause and premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Currently, millions of women are menopausal. Normally, menopause occurs between the ages of 40 and 60, with 51 years being the average age. Menopause is characterized by the permanent cessation of menstruation due to a decreased production of the female hormones, estrogen and progesterone. One of the main issues for women experiencing menopause is the wide array of symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, depression, anxiety, memory and cognitive difficulties, and change in sexual response and sex drive. Traditionally, the most common therapies have been estrogen replacement therapy , or hormone replacement therapy, the latter being a combination of both estrogen and progesterone. However, both therapies have pros and cons. The pros include relief of a variety of physical and emotional menopausal symptoms, a reduced risk of osteoporosis, and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The cons revolve around an increased risk for certain cancers such as breast cancer. Because of these risks, women are increasingly turning to natural alternative therapies.
PMS, like menopause, is also hormonally related. PMS is a recurrent cyclic disorder that at one time was believed to be a psychological problem. Today, however, there is a clear association between the menstrual cycle and PMS. As many as 90% of women may experience physical and/or emotional symptoms of PMS such as bloating, abdominal and back cramps, change in appetite, weight gain, breast tenderness and pain, headaches, anxiety, depression, lethargy, insomnia, moodiness, irritability, and social withdrawal. Because PMS is still not clearly understood, no established conventional treatment exists. Like menopause, many women are turning to natural alternative therapies.
Sangster's Ultimate Women's Formula combines the benefits of a number of natural ingredients with the healing benefits of herbs that have been used for centuries to treat women's conditions. Isoflavones are natural compounds called phytoestrogens that possess weak estrogenic activity. Considerable historical evidence links phytoestrogen rich diets with protection from hormone related disorders such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, cancers of the breast, uterus and ovary, as well as a variety of menopausal symptoms. Both soy and red clover contain isoflavones, and thus have demonstrated beneficial effects on a number of menopause related symptoms and conditions. Studies using red clover and soy have shown positive effects on arterial elasticity, which is a measure of the health of the arteries. A decrease in arterial elasticity normally occurs with age and in menopause, and is known to increase the chance of developing heart disease later in life. Early protection from osteoporosis is another benefit of soy and red clover supplementation.
Black Cohosh is a traditional treatment for premenstrual and menopausal complaints such as hot flashes, profuse sweating, headache and heart palpatations. Licorice has been used medicinally for thousands of years, like soy and red clover, it also contains isoflavones. Horse Chestnut is traditionally used to treat swelling of the legs due to water retention and has a "tonic" effect on the circulatory system. Vitex Agnus Cactus, also known as Chaste berry, contains a wide range of active ingredients that work together to treat menopausal disorders. Dong Quai is one of the most widely prescribed drugs in Chinese medicine for menstrual cramps and irregular flow, for cold sweats, hot flashes, and for the relief of emotional upset. Wild Yam possesses antioxidant and estrogenic properties, and has been used as estrogen replacement.
Taken together the combination of herbs available in Sangster's Ultimate Women's Formula provides a unique formulation for the reduction of symptoms associated with both PMS and menopause.
By: Kelley Fitzpatrick, M.Sc.
Hormones
