In the period leading to menopause, the ovaries start to age and less reproductive hormones are produced causing some or all of the symptoms earlier mentioned. In some cases, however, menopause can be induced or caused by a medical issue, treatment or surgical removal of the ovaries, or injuries to ovaries or related areas.
What Is Menopause?
Menopause signifies the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. With some women, symptoms of menopause can begin a few years or months, leading to menopause. While there is an age range for the onset of menopause, in some, it can come earlier or later. However, this is determined by factors like genetics, ovary health, and overall well being.
And in many women, menopause is accompanied by physical and emotional symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, irregular menstruation, heavier or lighter than usual periods, vaginal dryness, insomnia, reduced libido, and memory problems. Emotional problems may include depression, anxiety, and mood changes.
Causes of Menopause and 5 Best Supplements
An often natural process, menopause usually occurs in women between the ages of 45-55. A woman within the above age range can be considered to be in menopause if she hasn’t menstruated in 12 months or more. At this stage, the woman cannot conceive naturally. In this article on the natural causes of menopause, we will discuss menopause, some of its natural causes, five of the best menopause supplements for many of the unpleasant side effects of menopause and, the pros and cons of menopause supplements. Read on!
5 Common Causes of Menopause
In the period leading to menopause, the ovaries start to age, and fewer reproductive hormones are produced, causing some or all of the symptoms earlier mentioned. In some cases, however, menopause can be induced or caused by a medical issue, treatment or surgical removal of the ovaries, or injuries to ovaries or related areas.
Some of the common causes of menopause include:
Natural Menopause
This is the primary cause of menopause. It occurs when the ovaries start to age and run out of eggs. Natural menopause is usually accompanied by changes in period frequency, more painful periods, and longer or shorter cycles, among other symptoms earlier mentioned.
Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI)
Periods can sometimes end spontaneously and long before the normal age range for menopause. When this occurs, it is known as Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI). It is either triggered by certain health conditions or an unknown or unexplainable cause. In any case, it still has to be investigated by health experts e.g. an endocrinologist (hormone specialist) or gynecologist for a final diagnosis and treatment.
Induced Menopause
This type of menopause is usually caused by chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancers or tumors. Because of the harsh nature of these treatments, they often cause the ovaries to stop working completely or start working partially for at least a while, depending on the type and amount of chemo or radiation received and the woman’s age.
Menopause From Surgery
Menopause can occur when a woman has surgery to remove the ovaries. This operation can cause a significant drop in the reproductive hormones leading to menopausal symptoms that are often so severe that it gets in the way of daily life. Many of these symptoms can begin within 24 to 48hrs after surgery, while others can develop within the next few weeks and later in life.
Conditions that may cause a health professional to recommend removal of the ovaries before menopause include endometriosis, ovarian cancer, chronic pain from severe pelvic inflammatory diseases, and the presence of certain genetic variants that poses a higher risk of developing ovarian or breast cancer.
Hysterectomy
Having a hysterectomy (surgical removal of the uterus) can sometimes cause menopause. However, because you still have your ovaries, you may not go right into menopause. That said, a fraction of women who have had a hysterectomy and kept their ovaries have been found to go into menopause a few years earlier (1 – 4 years) than their expected date.
Should I Use Natural Menopause Supplements?
Some of the best menopause supplements may help, but others can be a total waste of valuable funds. The ones that work help to reduce hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, tiredness and libido loss, and many other symptoms that often mark the end of menopause. Even then, they are best combined with a clean, healthy diet, daily exercises /active lifestyle, and a positive attitude.
5 Best Menopause Supplements
While menopause symptoms are often an inevitable part of this stage, these symptoms can be alleviated with helpful natural supplements. These supplements are formulated with natural ingredients and are intended to manage the hormonal imbalances that are often responsible for these symptoms. So, we will briefly review some effective natural supplements for menopause.
#1 Menoquil
Favorably reviewed on many independent sites, Menoquil is a natural menopause supplement that is formulated to soothe many common menopause symptoms. The supplement contains several beneficial active ingredients proven to effectively manage these symptoms. They include Black Cohosh, Dong Quai, Soy, and Vitamin E. None of these active ingredients have been found to cause severe adverse effects.
#2 Amberen
Like many natural supplements designed to replace more complex treatments like HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy), Amberen is intended to be a safe alternative for women dealing with menopause symptoms.
According to the product’s manufacturer, Amberen deals with 35 menopausal symptoms thanks to its blend of ingredients like ammonium succinate, calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin E, and soy-derived amino acid; glycine. In one study, glycine was shown to hold estrogen-like osteoprotective effects, suggesting that it might help alleviate menopause symptoms.
#3 Estroven
During menopause, it is not uncommon to feel drained and drowsy when fatigued. And in some cases, the symptoms even get in the way of daily tasks. Estroven is formulated to help with these symptoms of fatigue. It boasts naturally sourced ingredients like the Black Cohosh and Yerba Mate extracts. The formula is also designed to lessen night sweats and hot flashes and boost energy while managing fatigue.
#4 Balanced Femme
Balanced Femme is a natural supplement formulated to treat and soothe some of the common symptoms of menopause. The supplement works by balancing out the hormones, lifting the mood, and improving energy levels.
Balanced Femme, like some other top-level natural menopause supplements, was formulated by health experts, scientists, and herbalists. Some of its key ingredients include Maca root, Dong Quai, and Black Cohosh. In studies, some of these ingredients have been found to hold estrogen-like qualities required to treat some common menopause symptoms like vaginal dryness, mood swings, hot flashes, and excessive sweating.
#5 Equelle
This hormone-free, gluten-free, and vegetarian-friendly menopause supplement is formulated to manage the common symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, mood swings, and body aches. Its key ingredient is S-equol, a soy-derived compound first produced by Japanese pharmacists to replace severely reduced natural estradiol levels.
Side Effects Of Menopause Supplements
As with every natural supplement, there are often questions about the safety of menopause supplements. Do these supplements come with side effects? Are they safe for long term use?
Menopause supplements like Menoquil and the rest that we’ve listed are mostly safe. While different manufacturers use different ingredients, most products classified as organic or natural are usually plant-based. And in this article, we picked only the products that contain adequately-researched ingredients that hold many of the claimed benefits. Also Menoquil Reviews from buyers have been mostly favorable, with many saying it worked for them as claimed.
And so far, there have been no complaints of severe side effects from prolonged use of any of the supplements or their active ingredients like the Black Cohosh, Dong Quai, Maca root, and Yerba Mate.
Pros and Cons of Menopause Supplements
Pros
- The menopause supplements here contain key ingredients that have been reported to alleviate menopause symptoms.
- Most natural menopause supplements not only help to manage menopause symptoms but also boost overall health and wellbeing.
- Natural menopause supplements, and in particular those on our list, contain well-researched and proven ingredients aside from being vegetarian-friendly and gluten-free.
- Most natural menopause supplements are safer and more affordable than conventional treatments like HRT known, which are known to cause cancers.
Cons
- Some of the ingredients may interfere with medications, and this could cause them to not work as intended.
- Some of the substances, e.g Black Cohosh, may cause side effects like weight gain, headache, and rash.
Final Words
While not the most pleasant experience, menopause is a natural stage most women will go through. Some earlier and some later; induced or natural. Thankfully, there are several ways you can lessen the severity of the symptoms, and these include activities such as exercise, a more active lifestyle, a diet rich in fruits and veggies, and some of the best menopause supplements. All of these combined will help with dominant menopause symptoms like hot flashes, low energy, loss of libido, and mood swings among others.
Finally, while most of these supplements can be purchased over-the-counter or online, you may still need to consult with your health professional to be certain that these supplements are safe for you, especially if you are dealing with another health condition and on medications. You should also consider avoiding these supplements entirely if you are breastfeeding or pregnant, as they are thought to pass into breast milk.