Menopause
Acupuncture improves menopause symptoms – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Feb 2012
A pilot RCT carried out in the USA has found that while both traditional acupuncture (TA) and sham acupuncture (SA) can improve menopause-related vasomotor symptoms (VMS), only TA shows an impact on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Thirty-three peri- and post-menopausal women with at least seven VMS daily were randomised to TA, SA or a waiting-list control (WC). Both the TA and SA groups demonstrated improved VMS trends and both showed significantly improved scores for menopause-specific quality of life compared with the WC group. However, 24-hour urinary measures of total cortisol metabolites and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were lower only in the TA versus both the SA and WC groups. (A pilot randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial of traditional acupuncture for vasomotor symptoms and mechanistic pathways of menopause. Menopause. 2012 Jan;19(1):54-61).
Herbs ease hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Feb 2012
A traditional Chinese herbal formula thought to have weak oestrogen-like activity may help ease menopausal hot flushes, a small clinical trial suggests. The formula, Jiawei Qing’e Fang (JQF), contained Du Zhong (Cortex Eucommia), Bu Gu Zhi (Fructus Psoraleae corylifolia) and Dan Shen (Radix Salvia miltiorrhiza). Clinicians in China randomly assigned 72 peri-menopausal women who were experiencing 14 or more hot flushes per week to receive either JQF or placebo every day for eight weeks. The results showed a significantly greater improvement in hot flush score in the JQF group compared with the placebo group. There were also between-group differences in vasomotor and physical symptom scores. Blood triglyceride (TG) levels in the JQF group showed a significant reduction in women with a high baseline TG. (A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial of a Chinese herbal medicine preparation (Jiawei Qing’e Fang) for hot flashes and quality of life in perimenopausal women. Menopause. 2011 Nov 14. [Epub ahead of print]).
Tai chi improves post-menopausal health – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Oct 2011
Taking part in a 12-week tai chi programme has multiple health benefits for post-menopausal women, particularly for those suffering from age-related loss of muscle strength. A Canadian team recruited 62 postmenopausal women and categorised them as dynapenic (suffering from age-related loss of muscle strength) or non-dynapenic. After 12 weeks of tai chi training, dynapenic women showed a significant decrease in body weight, fat mass percentage and skeletal muscle mass, whereas handgrip strength, functional capacity test scores and general health perception significantly increased. In non-dynapenic women, there was a significant decrease in waist circumference and a significant increase in chair-stand test and one-leg stance test scores. In addition, significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures were observed in both groups after the intervention. Dynapenic women showed a more pronounced general health perception increase compared with non-dynapenic individials. (Effects of tai chi training in dynapenic and nondynapenic postmenopausal women. Menopause. 2011 Sep; 18(9):974-979).
Tai chi and green tea benefit women’s bone health – Journal of Chinese Medicine, June 2011
A study by an American research team has demonstrated that tai chi exercise (TC) and supplementation with green tea polyphenols (GTP) can benefit bone remodeling and muscle strength in postmenopausal women by reducing oxidative stress damage. One hundred and seventy-one postmenopausal women with osteopaenia (low bone mineral density) were divided into four groups: placebo – placebo pill without TC; GTP (500 mg / day) without TC; placebo pill plus TC (three times per week); or GTP plus TC. The treatment phase of the study lasted for six months. The results showed that consumption of GTP (at a level equivalent to about four to six cups of steeped green tea daily) and TC independently enhanced markers of bone health. Both GTP and TC were also found to reduce levels of biological markers of oxidative stress, suggesting that they have anti-inflammatory activity. TC participants also reported significant beneficial effects in quality of life in terms of improved emotional and mental health. (Effect of green tea polyphenols and Tai Chi exercise on bone health in postmenopausal women with low bone mass: a 24-week placebo-controlled randomized trial. FASEB Journal. 2011;25:594.3).
Acupuncture relieves menopausal symptoms – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Oct 2010
A Brazilian group has found acupuncture to be effective in decreasing hot flushes and menopause symptom scores in postmenopausal women. In a randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over trial, 81 patients were assigned to two groups: Group 1 received 12 months of acupuncture, followed by six months of sham-acupuncture, while Group 2 received six months of sham-acupuncture, then 12 months of acupuncture treatment. After six months women in Group 1 exhibited significantly lower menopause symptom and hot flush intensity scores than those in Group 2. After 12 months, menopause symptom and hot flush scores were similar in both groups. After 18 months, the menopause symptom and hot flush scores for the women in Group 2 for were lower than those of the women in Group 1. (Acupuncture-ameliorated menopausal symptoms: single-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial. Climacteric. 2010 May 24. [Epub ahead of print]).
Aupuncture for menopausal hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Feb 2010
A multicentre randomised clinical study of menopausal women has concluded that acupuncture carried out in addition to usual care is associated with marked clinical improvement in hot flushes and other menopause-related symptoms. One hundred and seventy five Korean women were randomised to receive 12 sessions of acupuncture over four weeks in addition to usual care, or to usual care alone. The mean change in the average 24 hour hot flush score was -16.57 in the treatment group compared with -16.93 in the control group, a significant difference. Scores for psychological, somatic and urogenital symptoms of menopause also showed significant improvement in the acupuncture group compared with the control group. (Effects of acupuncture on hot flashes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women – a multicenter randomised clinical trial. Menopause. 2009 Nov 10.
Acupuncture helps reduce menopausal hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Oct 2009
A Norwegian study has found that acupuncture in addition to self-care can contribute to a clinically relevant reduction in menopausal hot flushes. The research was a multicentre, pragmatic, randomised, controlled trial with two parallel arms comparing the effect of individualised acupuncture plus self-care against self-care alone for hot flushes and health-related quality of life in 267 postmenopausal women. Hot flush frequency decreased by 5.8 per 24 hours in the acupuncture group and 3.7 per 24 hours in the control group. Hot flush intensity decreased by 3.2 units in the acupuncture group and 1.8 units in the control group. The acupuncture group also experienced statistically significant improvements in vasomotor, sleep, and somatic criteria compared with the control group. (The Acupuncture on Hot Flushes Among Menopausal Women (ACUFLASH) study, a randomized controlled trial. Menopause. 2009 May-Jun;16(3):484-93).
Acupuncture better than usual care for menopausal hot flushes – Journal of Chinese Medicine, Oct 2008
A pilot study on the effect of acupuncture in decreasing hot flushes in menopausal women has concluded either that there is a strong placebo effect or that both traditional and sham acupuncture significantly reduce hot flush frequency. Fifty-six postmenopausal women (aged 44 to 55) were randomised to one of three treatment groups: usual care, sham acupuncture (shallow needling at non-therapeutic sites) or TCM acupuncture. The TCM acupuncture group received one of four treatments based on a TCM diagnosis. There was a significant decrease in mean frequency of hot flushes between weeks one and eight across all groups, although the differences between the three groups were not significant. However, the two acupuncture groups showed a significantly greater decrease than the usual care group, but did not differ from each other. (A randomized, controlled pilot study of acupuncture treatment for menopausal hot flushes. Menopause. 2008 Jun 2. [Epub ahead of print]).
Acupuncture reduces hot flushes
Acupuncture is associated with a significant decrease in the severity, but not the frequency, of postmenopausal hot flushes. In a randomised, placebo-controlled pilot study, 29 postmenopausal women averaging at least seven moderate to severe hot flushes per 24 hours, were randomised to receive seven weeks (nine treatment sessions) of either active acupuncture (standardised, individually-tailored point prescriptions) or placebo acupuncture (non-penetrating placebo needles at sham acupuncture points). Those receiving active treatment had a significantly greater reduction in hot flush severity than those receiving placebo. There was no significant difference in the reduction of hot flush frequency between the active and placebo groups, however both groups experienced significantly fewer episodes of flushing.
(Acupuncture for postmenopausal hot flushes. Maturitas. 2007 Apr 20;56(4):383-95)