How to Choose Vitamins for Menopause

Many women today, are looking for a way to get through menopause without the use of hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement therapy has been linked to an increase in the risk of certain cancers and other diseases. Taking vitamins and herbs that help with menopause symptoms has proved to be beneficial for many women.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Talk to your doctor about the menopause symptoms you are experiencing. He can recommend a good vitamin for you to take.
2. Read the list of ingredients on the vitamin package and ignore the sales hype. There are many vitamins on the market that profess to help with menopause symptoms, but not all of them do. Those that really do help, provide a detailed list of ingredients on the package.
3. Choose a multi vitamin that contains vitamin A and D. Bone loss is common during menopause and vitamins A and D helps to strengthen bones.
4. Look for vitamins A and E on the list of ingredients. These vitamins help to decrease the amount and severity, of hot flashes. Vitamin E is also a wonderful antioxidant which helps offset the effect of aging.
5. Pick a vitamin that also contains isoflavones. Isoflavones are a form of phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are a plant compound that have the same effect on the body as estrogen. Isoflavones can help to offset the natural decrease of estrogen that occurs during menopause.
6. Watch our for herbs. The Federal Trade Commission cautions that while some herbs may be beneficial, others have no effect at all, and still others may be harmful. Research any herb that you are considering taken so you are aware of the health risks. The two most common herbs used for menopause relief are black cohosh and red clover. Scientific studies have proved these two herbs to be safe for short term use, but studies have yet to be done to determine the safety of using them longer than six months.

Tips & Warnings

• Eat a balanced diet, get plenty of rest, limit alcohol and caffeine and exercise for at least 30 minutes three times a week for optimal health during menopause.