What causes hot flashes and night sweats?
Pharmacol Res. 2008 Jul;58(1):8-14.
Black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) for menopausal symptoms: A systematic review of its efficacy.
Borrelli F, Ernst E.
Department of Experimental Pharmacology, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy.
Since conventional hormone replacement therapy has fallen out of favour, alternatives are being sought by many women. These therapies include herbal preparations such as black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa). The purpose of this update of a previous systematic review is to evaluate the clinical evidence for or against the efficacy of black cohosh in alleviating menopausal symptoms. Five computerized databases (Medline, Embase, Amed, Phytobase and Cochrane Library) were searched to identify all clinical data that provided evidence on the efficacy of C. racemosa. Bibliographies of the articles thus located were scanned for further relevant publications. Only double blind, randomized, clinical trials (RCTs) were included in the evaluation of efficacy. No language restrictions were imposed. Trials were excluded if they did not focus on menopausal problems, they included women suffering medically induced menopause, they did not use black cohosh monopreparations, or they did not use placebo or a standard drug treatment for the control group. Six studies with a total of 1112 peri- and post-menopausal women met our inclusion criteria. The evidence from these RCTs does not consistently demonstrate an effect of black cohosh on menopausal symptoms; a beneficial effect of black cohosh on peri-menopausal women cannot be excluded. The efficacy of black cohosh as a treatment for menopausal symptoms is uncertain and further rigorous trials seem warranted.
Please click on the required question..
- 1 What will happen to me at my menopause?
- 2 Why does nature put women through the menopause?
- 3 Is life-expectancy changing?
- 4 What happens to my reproductive hormones at the menopause?
- 5 What non-hormonal changes occur at the menopause?
- 6 What problems might I have as a result of my menopause?
- 7 When am I likely to reach my menopause?
- 8 What is a premature menopause?
- 9 What are hot flushes and will HRT reduce them?
- 10 What causes hot flushes and night sweats?
- 11 Can my bladder problems be related to the menopause?
- 12 Can the menopause be associated with psychological problems.
- 13 How long can my menopausal (climacteric) symptoms last?
- 14 Is there a test that will accurately determine when my menopause has occurred?
- 15 Is it normal to experience heavy periods before the menopause?
- 16 How are heavy periods around the time of the menopause treated?
- 17 Is there a need to investigate vaginal bleeding after the menopause (postmenopausal bleeding)?
- 18 What could be the cause of vaginal bleeding after the menopause?
- 19 What is atrophic vaginitis?
- 20 What local genital symptoms can be associated with the menopause?
- 21 I have gone through the menopause and now have some bleeding (postmenopausal bleeding PMB). What will my gynaecologist wish to do?
- 22 Could I have any other long-term medical problems resulting from my menopause?
- 23 What is coronary heart disease?
- 24 What is osteoporosis?
- 25 Where else can I obtain further information?
- 26 Could I have some recommended menopause support groups.
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This is the personal website of David A Viniker MD FRCOG, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Whipps Cross University Hospital, London - Specialist Interests - Reproductive Medicine including Infertility, PCOS, PMS, Menopause and HRT.
I do hope that you find the answers to your women's health questions in the patient information and medical advice provided.
