Herbal Medicines for Menopause?

Ivanhoe Newswire

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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Treating menopausal symptoms with herbal remedies could be a waste of time and money.  A new article in the Drug and Therapies Bulletin (DTB) says there is no strong evidence either way for several herbal medicines taken to relieve troublesome menopausal symptoms.

Herbal remedies like black cohosh, red clover, ginseng and Dong quai are commonly used to relieve menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats which are prompted by the sharp decline of estrogen levels.

DTB states little good quality evidence is available on the effectiveness of herbal medicines, or how they might react with prescription medicines.  The journal also reports, safety has been under-researched, which is a major concern given that herbal remedies are often assumed to be "safe" just on the grounds that they are "natural." 

SOURCE: Drug and Therapies Bulletin, January 2009

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