Menopausal women often use alternative therapies

Almost half of women who have discontinued hormone therapy for menopause but still have symptoms turn to complementary and alternative medicine, commonly referred to as CAM.

Among 563 such women, representing every U.S. state but Hawaii, 45 percent reported using CAM to seek relief from menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats, Dr. Elizabeth M. Kupferer and colleagues at the University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing found.

Among the women using CAM, 27 percent reported taking vitamin and calcium supplements, 21 percent said they used the herbal supplement black cohosh, and 19 percent used soy supplements and foods for symptom relief.

Another 14 percent reported taking antidepressants for relief of menopausal symptoms, the investigators report in the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing.

The women who participated in the study were about 58 years old on average and had entered menopause about 14 years earlier. CAM users were more likely between 40 and 50 years old, and less than 5 years post-menopause.

Bonnie - I became a certified menopause educator to let women know there are options beyond synthetic HRT.