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About the researcher

Dr. Marja Verhoef is a full professor in the Department of Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary. Her research team from the University of Calgary and Calgary Health received support from the Health Research Fund, administered by AHFMR on behalf of Alberta Health and Wellness.

Recommended website

"Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Menopausal Symptoms" brochure

Responding To The Reader

How effective are alternative treatments for the symptoms of menopause?
An AHFMR-funded project provides some answers.

Story by Connie Bryson/Photo by Trudie Lee

Menopause is the permanent end of menstruation and fertility. Although it is not an illness, its symptoms (including hot flashes, mood swings, sleep disturbance, and bone loss) can be distressing and disruptive, and often appear long before a woman's final period. Hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment for relieving many of the symptoms, but uncertainty about its risks and benefits has prompted many women to look to complementary and alternative medicine.

With support from AHFMR, a research team led by Dr. Marja Verhoef undertook a project to help women sort through the sometimes conflicting information about complementary and alternative treatments. The objectives were to assess what information women need about alternative treatment options, and to develop the best strategies for communicating practical and reliable information to them.

The result is a brochure in which the effectiveness of various treatments is evaluated in relation to nine symptoms (see sidebar) The information is organized into three sections which correspond to the three treatment groups: therapies, such as acupuncture and paced breathing; herbal or dietary supplements, such as herbs and vitamins; and prescription drugs, such as hormone therapy.

"The brochure contains solid, unbiased information, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice," says Kim Polvi, a Calgary-based medical librarian who was a member of the research team. "However, it is a reliable starting point for making decisions. Consumers have to be careful-because a lot of information out there is only aimed at selling you something."

Although some of the complementary and alternative options listed in the brochure have been found to be safe and effective, others have not yet been thoroughly researched. For example, soy is designated with an E (for "Effective") as a treatment for bone loss and hot flashes, because there is strong scientific evidence that it alleviates these symptoms; soy contains phytoestrogens, which are estrogen-like chemicals found in some plants. In the listing for a herbal supplement known as St. John's wort, however, there is no E, because there is no clear evidence of benefit. The brochure recommends caution with most of the herbal or dietary supplements and all of the prescription drugs. Many can cause side effects, some interact chemically with other supplements or drugs, and a few are just plain toxic.

The therapies listed in the brochure (for example, acupuncture, aromatherapy, homeopathy, massage, reflexology) are generally considered safe, although their effectiveness varies from person to person.

Polvi notes that the brochure only captures information at a particular point in time. "Research on complementary and alternative treatments for menopause is continuing, so new information becomes available on an ongoing basis," she says. "For me, one of the great things about the growing interest in these treatments for all kinds of conditions is that it represents a trend toward self-care. People are taking more responsibility for their own health, and complementary and alternative treatments can play an important role."