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The findings of the Women's Health Initiative resulted in a sharp decline in the use of estrogen therapy. Increasingly, menopausal women have been interested in soy foods as an alternative to estrogen therapy for the treatment of menopausal symptoms. This article provides an overview of the limited number of studies that assess the effectiveness of soy foods to alleviate vasomotor and urogenital symptoms. The evidence of the efficacy of soy foods in improving menopausal symptoms is limited due to the small number of trials reporting conflicting results. J. Nutr. 140: 2318S- 2321S, 2010. doi: 10.3945/jn.110.124388.

It has been well documented that the frequency of vasomotor menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats, of Japanese menopausal women is less than that of Western women. High intake of soy isoflavones in the traditional Japanese diet has been postulated as the possible explanation of the difference. Epidemiological studies have reported that the content of equol, which is a biologically active metabolite of the isoflavone, daidzein, is lower in the women who complain of severe vasomotor symptoms. To investigate the involvement of equol in the manifestation of menopausal symptoms, especially vasomotor symptoms, and the possible therapeutic role of a supplement containing equol (natural S-equol developed by Otsuka Pharmaceutical) on the menopausal symptoms of Japanese women, 3 randomized clinical trials were conducted. The studies indicated that a daily dose of 10 mg of natural S-equol improved menopausal symptoms. In the confirmation study, menopausal women who were equol nonproducers who consumed 10 mg/d of natural S-equol for 12 wk had significantly reduced severity and frequency of hot flashes as well as a significant reduction in the severity of neck or shoulder stiffness. The equol-ingesting group also showed trends of improvement in sweating and irritability and a significant improvement in the somatic category symptoms. Thus, it is concluded that the supplement containing natural S-equol, a novel soybean-derived functional component, has a promising role as an alternative remedy in the management of menopausal symptoms. doi: 10.3945/jn.109.118307

Our objective in this work was to test the effects of daily intake of bread produced with partially defatted ground flaxseed on the climacteric symptoms and endometrial thickness of postmenopausal women. A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial was performed with 38 women who had been postmenopausal for 1-10 y and consumed 2 slices of bread containing 25 g of flaxseed (46 mg lignans) or wheat bran ( doi: 10.3945/jn.109.113886.

Cimicifuga racemosa (black cohosh) is commonly used in traditional medicines as treatment for menopausal symptoms and as an antiinflammatory remedy. To clarify the mechanism of action and active principle for the antiinflammatory action, the effects of aqueous C. racemosa root extracts (CRE) and its major constituents on the release of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and the chemokine IL-8 were investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)stimulated whole blood of healthy volunteers. CRE (3 µg/µL and 6 µg/µL) reduced LPS-induced release of IL- 6 and TNF-α in a concentration- and time-dependent manner and almost completely blocked release of IFN-γ into the plasma supernatant. Except for IFN-γ, these effects were attenuated at longer incubation periods. IL-8 secretion was stimulated by CRE. As shown by quantitative real-time RT-PCR, effects on cytokines were based on preceding changes in mRNA levels except for IL-8. According to their content in CRE, the phenolcarboxylic compounds caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and isoferulic acid, as well as the triterpene glycosides 23-epi-26-deoxyactein and cimigenol-3-O-xyloside, were tested at representative concentrations. Among these, isoferulic acid was the prominent active principle in CRE, responsible for the observed inhibition of IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, but not for IL-8 stimulation. The effect of this compound may explain the antiinflammatory activities of CRE and its beneficial actions in rheumatism and other inflammatory diseases. Key words: Cimicifuga racemosa, black cohosh, endotoxinaemia, lipopolysaccharide, proinflammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, interferon-gamma, human whole blood, inflammation, monocytes, lymphocytes, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, isoferulic acid, cimigenol-3-O-xyloside, 23-epi-26-deoxyactein, rheumatism. Cimicifuga racemosa (cimicaire a grappes) est couramment utiliseeeenmedecine traditionnelle pour le traitement des symptomes de la menopause et comme remede anti-inflammatoire. Pour clarifier le mecanisme d'action et le principe actif de l'action anti-inflammatoire, nous avons examine; les effets d'extraits aqueux de racines de C. racemosa (ECR) et de leurs principaux constituants sur la liberation des cytokines proinflammatoires IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ et de la chimiokine IL-8 dans le sang total stimule par un lipopolysaccharide (LPS), chez des volontaires en sante. Les CRE (3 mg/mLet 6 µg/µL) ont reduit en fonction de la concentration et du temps la liberation d'IL-6 et de TNF-α induite par LPS, et bloque presque completement la liberation d'IFN-γ dans le surnageant plasmatique. Ces effets ont ete attends lors de periodes d'incubation de plus longue duree, sauf dans le cas d'IFN-g. Les CRE ont stimule; la secretion d'IL-8. La RT-PCR quantitative en temps reel a montree que les effets sur les cytokine etaient liees aux modifications anterieures des taux d'ARNm, sauf pour ce qui est d'IL-8. Selon leur teneur en CRE, nous avons examinee les composes phenolcarboxyliques, acide cafeique, acide ferulique et acide isoferulique, ainsi que les glycosides triterpeenes, 23-epi-26-deeoxyacteeine et cimigenol-3-O-xyloside, aux concentrations representatives. L'acide isoferulique a ete le principe actif dominant dans les CRE, responsable de l'inhibition observeee d'IL-6, de TNF-α et d'IFN-γ, mais pas de la stimulation d'IL-8. L'effet de ce compose pourrait expliquer les activitees anti-inflammatoires des CRE et les actions beneefiques sur le rhumatisme et d'autres maladies inflammatoires. Mots-cles: Cimicifuga racemosa, cimicaire a grappes, endotoxeemie, lipopolysaccharide, cytokines proinflammatoires, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, interferon gamma, sang humain, inflammation, monocytes, lymphocytes, acide cafeique, acide feerulique, acide isofeerulique, cimigeenol-3-O-xyloside, 23-epi-26-deesoxyacteine, rhumatisme. [Traduit par la Redaction] 10.1139/Y09-091, Introduction Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. (Ranunculaceae; common name, black cohosh) is a medicinal herb found in the wild in eastern North America. Native Americans used black cohosh (also called 'rheumatism [...]

Background: The use of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) has significantly declined since the release of the Women's Health Initiative findings, but to what extent physicians' and women's concerns about breast cancer contributed to this change is unknown. Our study explored physicians' and women's beliefs about hormone therapy and breast cancer risk. Methods: We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews with 22 primary care physicians and 45 female patients at two large integrated health care delivery systems in Washington State and Massachusetts. Results: Concerns about breast cancer risk weighed into the decision-making process for physicians and women in initiating and continuing hormone therapy. For women, control of menopausal symptoms was important and possibly outweighed their concerns about the potential risks of breast cancer. Though concerned about its association with increasing breast cancer risk, physicians were willing to consider hormone therapy to manage women's menopausal symptoms but were frustrated about the lack of available non-hormone therapy alternatives. Most physicians and some women were aware of the Women's Health Initiative, and its findings appeared to influence their beliefs about hormone therapy and breast cancer risk, though doubts remained among both groups about the study findings and implications. Conclusions: Our qualitative study suggests that after the Women's Health Initiative, concerns about breast cancer risk weighed into decisions to initiate and continue hormone therapy for both physicians and women, but menopausal symptoms often directed use. KEYWORDS breast cancer, hormone therapy, qualitative

The article discusses the symptoms, causes and treatment of primary ovarian insufficiency or premature menopause. A case study of a 30-year-old woman is highlighted to arrive at a better understanding of evaluation and treatment of primary ovarian insufficiency and suggestions regarding management of the condition.

Despite decades of research, the causal mechanisms of hot flashes are not adequately understood, and a biopsychosocial perspective on hot flashes remains underdeveloped. This article explores overlooked parallels between hot flashes and panic attacks within 5 areas: course and symptomatology, physiological indicators, neurocircuitry and biochemical mechanisms, pharmacotherapy, and psychological treatment, noting both similarities and important differences between the 2 events. An integrative conceptual model is presented that identifies key ways in which psychological factors may influence the experience of hot flashes, with clinical implications and areas of future research. This model yields readily testable hypotheses and may provide a template for exploring the role of cognition in the frequency and severity of hot flashes and, in turn, a basis for the development of nonpharmacological treatments. Keywords: hot flash, panic, hormones, sternal skin conductance, anxiety sensitivity

Abstract The special extract ERr 731® from the roots of Rheum rhaponticum is the major constituent of Phytoestrol® N which is used for the alleviation of menopausal symptoms. Recently, we [...]

The onset of menopause is marked with menstrual changes accompanied by other symptoms like hot flushes, depression, anxiety, weight gain and other symptoms. The case study of a 51-year-old woman is discussed to understand the management of different symptoms associated with menopause.