Posts Tagged ‘phytoestrogens’

Red Clover

 

Red clover grows naturally in Europe and Asia and has been introduced into North America for grazing purposes. Also called cow clover, bee-bread, and purple clover, red clover is now being thought of as a “cure-all” for menopause symptoms including natural relief for hot flashes.

 

Menopause symptoms are the result of a drop in estrogen. This drop causes hormone imbalance in women who have reached middle-aged. Isoflavones (isofavones are water-soluble chemicals found in many plants) are capable of augmenting and stabilizing these lowered hormonal levels, curbing the severity of these symptoms low estrogen levels. The isoflavones in red clover balance the body’s estrogen levels by copying estrogen. This process helps to relieve menopausal women suffering from a hormone imbalance.

According to reports, red clovers’ benefits have been proven to help relieve various symptoms of menopause which include night sweats and hot flashes.

 

 

Red clover is one of the premium sources of,  phytoestrogens, i.e., plant estrogens that mimic the female sex hormone. These phytoestrogens help to increase the levels of estrogen in our bodies, Isoflavones are water-soluble chemicals found in many plants, thereby reducing menopausal symptoms. Red clover also contains many vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium, niacin, potassium, chromium and Vitamin C.

 

Benefits of Red Clover

Studies on red clover show that it does seem to reduce menopause symptoms of hot flashes and mood swings. In a recent study in the Netherlands, women taking a red clover supplement reported a 44% decrease in their hot flashes over 8 weeks. Red clover is also thought to be helpful in fighting osteoporosis. Because it contains high amounts of calcium, red clover may slow down or even prevent bone loss. Red clover also increases the amount of high-density lipoprotein, or “good” cholesterol, in the bloodstream. This has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease in menopausal women. So with the added benefit of providing natural relief for hot flashes Red Clover is not only nature’s beauty but medicinal as well.

 

Cardiovascular health: The isoflavones in red clover are capable of boosting “good” HDL cholesterol in pre and post-menopausal women. (Isoflavones are water-soluble chemicals found in many plants.)

 

Note: Information provided to you by this website is for informational purposes and is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician or other medical professional.  You are caution not to use the information given for diagnosing a health condition or disease.  If you are concerned about a medical condition contact your health care provider.

 

 

 

 

Licorice Root

Licorice has been used for many years to treat and stop hot flashes naturally and common discomforting symptoms of menopause.It has been viewed as one of the many hot flash herbs.

It is thought to reduce estrogen levels while raising progesterone levels and, similarly to Black Cohosh,has estrogenic qualities.

WHAT IS LICORICE ROOT?

Licorice is a perennial herb, mostly grown in Greece, Turkey, and Asia. It has a long history of medicinal use in both Eastern and Western medicine. We all know licorice as a candy, but it has a lot of other beneficial uses. Among other things, it is a strong antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory effects.

The dried roots are made into supplements such as capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts.

 

On  Relief for  Menopause Symptoms

Licorice root contains phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are estrogen hormone-like chemicals found in plants.

How Does Licorice Root Work?

Licorice contains a lot of different active compounds. The most important for menopausal signs and symptoms are the phytoestrogens

The herb’s key medicinal compound is glycyrrhizin. It appears to block the activity of a specific enzyme which subsequently increases the activity of cortisol. This causes mild adrenal stimulation.

 

Are There Any Side Effect? Before taking any hot flash herbs you may want to do your research.

According to the literature and the information by the National Institute of Health licorice contains an active compound called glycyrrhizin, which can cause high blood pressure, salt and water retention, and low potassium levels, which could lead to heart problems.

There are preparations without glycyrrhizin (DGL or De-glycyrrhizinated licorice) which may have fewer side effects.

If you are prone to high blood pressure, be careful when you take this herb. As always be safe and check with your health care provider before you start taking any supplements.