Rhodiola Rosea for Menopause
Disclaimer: This content has been produced purely for informational and educational purposes only and is never intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical guidelines including diagnosis, advice, and treatment.
The world’s population is aging and more women experiencing postmenopausal symptoms than ever. Though there are medical therapies to manage menopause they have their side effects and may not be a financially feasible option for everyone.
So, is there a more natural and economical way to deal with menopause? Fortunately, yes. Rhodiola rosea supplementation can help you manage the symptoms of menopause in a natural way.
Follow the article below to know more about menopause and its symptoms and how rhodiola rosea can come in handy in dealing with the effects of menopause.
MENOPAUSE
Menopause is a point in a woman’s life when her menstrual cycles stop or clinically speaking when a woman doesn't have menstrual periods for 12 months.
There is no fixed age at which women hit menopause. It varies from person to person but mostly women reach menopause either in their late 40s or early 50s.
Some women may also experience menopause-like symptoms before actually hitting menopause. This phenomenon is known as perimenopause and occurs just before reaching the age of menopause.
The characteristic features of perimenopause are irregular or short menstrual cycles. It can also lead to skipped periods for some months but then they return to regular monthly cycles.
SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE
Apart from changes in the menstrual cycle women also experience a variety of physical and psychological symptoms during the menopausal transition.
These symptoms can vary in severity and may or may not require medical attention. Some of the common menopausal are described in detail below:
SLEEP DISTURBANCES
The menopausal transition can be stressful and lead to sleep disturbances. During menopause, women might find it difficult to fall asleep. Also, they wake up too early and have trouble sleeping again.
Night sweats are also common during the menopausal transition and can hinder peaceful sleep at night.
HOT FLASHES
During menopause, the changing levels of estrogen can cause women to experience a sudden feeling of heat in different parts of their bodies. These sensations are known as hot flashes and may last for years after menopause.
During a hot flash, your face, and neck may become flushed and red blotches can appear on your arms, chest, and back. This can be followed by excessive sweating or cold shivering.
The severity of hot flashes may vary and range from very mild to strong enough to cause sleep disturbances at night. The duration of hot flashes is usually between 30 seconds to 10 minutes. Hot flashes can occur several times an hour, a few times a day, or once a week.
MOOD CHANGES
The unpleasant changes that menopause brings to a woman’s life can be stressful and may lead to anxiety and depression. Women become irritable and feel moodier.
If you’re also going through a mental health problem due to the menopausal transition then seek help from a professional.
URINARY INCONTINENCE
Loss of bladder control is called urinary incontinence and is a common complaint among postmenopausal women as women lose the elasticity of the urethra during menopause.
As a result, you may experience a sudden, frequent, and strong urge to urinate followed by an involuntary loss of urine. Some women may also experience leaking of urine during laughing, coughing, exercising, or lifting an object.
You can practice kegel exercises as they strengthen pelvic floor muscles and may relieve symptoms of urinary incontinence.
SEXUAL PROBLEMS
The low levels of estrogen during the menopausal transition can cause the vagina to become dry and lose its elasticity. Consequently, you might find sexual intercourse discomforting and may even experience pain and bleeding during sex.
Low levels of hormones can also negatively affect libido. This can impact your mental health and may also affect your relationship with your partner.
OTHER SYMPTOMS
Apart from the symptoms described above, you might also experience other symptoms such as loss of muscles, joint pain and stiffness, poor memory, lack of concentration, headache and migraines, dry and itchy skin, palpitations, and recurrent urinary tract infections.
COMPLICATIONS OF MENOPAUSE
The decreased levels of hormones during the menopausal transition can put women at an increased risk of developing certain medical conditions.
Some of the common complications arising as a result of menopause are:
- Obesity – Postmenopausal women have a slower rate of metabolism and thereby easily gain weight. Your waist size may also expand. To avoid weight gain and associated complications women are advised to eat in moderation and exercise more regularly when they hit menopause.
- Osteoporosis – In this condition, your bones become weak and brittle and are more vulnerable to get fractured. Postmenopausal women are at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis as they experience a rapid reduction in their bone density especially in the first few years after menopause.
- Cardiovascular problems – Low levels of estrogen in postmenopausal women increase their risk of developing different heart diseases. Therefore, it is recommended that after menopause women should eat healthily, exercise regularly and manage different risk factors such as elevated cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.
RHODIOLA ROSEA
Rhodiola rosea is a herb that mainly grows at the mountains of Europe and Asia. It is also known as king’s crown, arctic root, and golden root.
People have been using rhodiola for treating fatigue, anxiety and depression since ancient times. In the modern world, rhodiola has made a name for itself as a dietary supplement used to effectively manage menopause and boost energy levels.
MANAGING MENOPAUSE WITH RHODIOLA ROSEA
Rhodiola rosea is an adaptogen with the potential of managing chronically stressful conditions such as menopause and its symptoms.
The root cause of most of the problems during menopause is low levels of estrogen hormone and rhodiola has antioxidant properties which help to correct this hormonal imbalance.
As a result, the severity of different symptoms of menopause such as sleep disturbances, fatigue, mood changes, anxiety, and depression is reduced. Rhodiola consumption is also beneficial for hot flashes which are one of the most common complaints in postmenopausal women.
Menopause increases your risk of cardiovascular diseases and that can also be reduced by regular rhodiola intake as it has a cardioprotective effect as well.
Postmenopausal women also struggle with memory and and focus. Rhodiola also has neuroprotective effect and can improve cognitive functions.
Overall all these effects of rhodiola make it an excellent choice for dealing with the upleasant symptoms of menopause.
RECOMMENDED DOSAGE AND SIDE EFFECTS
Adults can consume rhodiola in doses of 100 to 600 mg per day. However, there is not enough information available regarding the safety of rhodiola consumption in a long term.
Hence, it is recommended that you stay on the safe side and do not use rhodiola supplements for more than 12 weeks or if you wish to do so then first speak with your physician.
Rhodiola rosea is safe to use and does not cause any adverse effects if you adhere to the above-stated limits. However, some people may experience mild side effects of rhodiola such as:
- Irritability
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Chest pain
- Allergic reaction
PRECAUTIONS TO BE TAKEN
Although rhodiola is safe to consume in a daily routine it should be used with great care, especially in the following circumstances:
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding – Either you are pregnant or breastfeeding you should be extra careful of what you eat and drink because anything inappropriate can be harmful to baby. The amount of information regarding the safety of rhodiola consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding is limited. Hence, stay on the safer side and do not consume rhodiola supplements while you are pregnant and breastfeeding.
- Autoimmune disorders – Medical conditions arising due to immune system dysfunction are known as autoimmune disorders. Rhodiola stimulates the immune system and can worsen the symptoms of autoimmune disorders.
INTERACTIONS WITH THERAPEUTIC DRUGS
Rhodiola rosea can interact with different medicinal drugs and interfere with their mechanism of action. It can also increase the risk of side effects by interacting drugs.
Some of the common drugs that interact with rhodiola are:
- Antidiabetic medications
- Antihypertensive drugs
- Immunosuppressive drugs
- Drugs metabolized by the liver
If you are using any of the above-mentioned drugs in your daily routine then you must consult your physician before starting rhodiola supplements.
BOTTOM LINE
Menopause can be an unpleasant phase during a woman’s life as it causes some really stressful symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances, urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and mood changes.
There are a variety of medical options to deal with the symptoms of menopause but if you are someone who prefers to manage it in a natural way then rhodiola supplementation is the way to go.
Rhodiola possesses antioxidant properties and correct hormonal imbalance to help you manage the symptoms of the menopausal transition.
It is recommended that you speak with your healthcare provider before starting rhodiola supplements especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications for any underlying health conditions.
Here you can check out Vorst's Stress Relief supplement.
REFERENCES
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26776957/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6288277/