Nutritional Supplements For Menopause

Menopause is a perfectly natural change that all women can expect to undergo at some point in their lives. Whether this "change" takes place as a result of normal aging or it is due to surgical intervention, nutritional supplements for menopause have been shown to help some women weather the symptoms that may arise. These supplements can often even assist in maintaining good overall health in the process.

Menopause itself involves the body's gradual (in cases other than surgical) transition from fertility to the period beyond this stage. This transition involves the discontinuation of a woman's body's natural production of estrogen and progesterone. As these natural hormones decrease in the body, many symptoms can arise. These symptoms do not appear in all menopausal women and their severity, too, can vary greatly. When they do appear, however, nutritional supplements for menopause have been shown to help in some bases.

Beyond symptom treatment to assist with hormonal changes, some nutritional supplements for menopause can actually be used to assist with prevention of problems that can appear during this stage of life or shortly thereafter. Calcium, for example, is generally started during this period of time to assist with staving off any potential bone density loss. Taking nutritional supplements for menopause can actually help prevent osteoporosis in some cases.

The most common nutritional supplements for menopause involve a solid, stage-appropriate multi-vitamin with calcium included in the mix. These nutritional supplements for menopause can be particularly helpful if a woman is experiencing weight gain issues that can go along with this stage in life and is attempting to diet, as well. There are even many nutritional supplements for menopause that include the right balance of vitamins and minerals needed during this specific stage of life.

Some non-vitamin supplements for menopause nutrition tend to be added into lifestyle if and when symptoms arise. The most common symptoms associated with this period of life include hot flashes, insomnia and mood swings. Of course, there are many other symptoms that can arise, but these three are the most common. Let's take a look at what types of nutritional supplements for menopause might help if these symptoms arise.

Nutritional supplements for menopause that have been linked with assisting when hot flashes strike include such things as black cohosh, soy and red clover. Black cohosh is widely used in Europe, but many feel there are not enough studies to support its use. Soy and red clover are known for having isoflavones, which is a plant equivalent to a woman's natural estrogen. Studies are still ongoing into these two and their real impacts, but they have been shown to be effective in some cases.

Sleeping difficulties are also common with menopause. There are some great nutritional supplements for menopause that can help to this end. Natural treatments that have shown some impact on insomnia include the use of kava, chamomile, valerian root and more. If insomnia is particularly troublesome, women are advised to seek medical help. While nutritional supplements for menopause can help in some cases, others might require more aggressive treatment.

Mood swings are also quite common with menopause. These are generally attributed to hormonal change, but there are some nutritional supplements for menopause that can assist. In general, the more healthy and balanced a woman's diet and nutritional intake is the better off she'll be in handling most anything menopause can throw her way. If herbal nutritional supplements for menopause are desired to help lessen the impact of mood swings, kava and ginseng are commonly suggested.

While menopause is a perfectly natural stage of life that most women must go through, it doesn't mean it doesn't come with its potential pitfalls. Nutritional supplements for menopause can help women weather the storm. Sometimes they are all that is needed. In other cases, different options might be better suited for symptoms and severity. Seeking medical advice is never a bad idea.