A recent cross-sectional analysis in the multiethnic Study of Women ’s Health Across the Nation found that 53 % of the participants used some form of CAM ( excluding diet , vitamins , exercise , and prayer ) and that rates of use generally did not vary by menopausal status or by presence of vasomotor symptoms .
Significant improvements were also found in sleep quality ( P = 0.02 ) and
I n the wake of serious health concerns raised by the Women ’s Health Initiative and Heart and Estrogen/ progestin Replacement Study clinical trials , prescriptions for hormone therapy have declined dramatically , leaving many women without effective treatment for menopausal symptoms .
Several nonhormonal pharmacologic therapies have shown promise for reducing vasomotor symptoms , including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , gabapentin , and clonidine .
However , most are only modestly effective , and all have side effects that may limit their use .
A number of herbal therapies are marketed to women as being safe and effective in reducing menopausal symptoms , including phytoestrogens , black cohosh , dong quai , evening primrose oil , and red clover .
Still , interest in nonhormonal and particularly in complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ) therapies for menopausal symptoms remains strong .
The term yoga is derived from the Sanskrit term yuj , meaning Bto yoke^ or Bto unite,^ and the goal of yoga has been described as uniting the body and mind to achieve enlightenment .
Yoga has become increasingly popular outside of India , with a 2008 survey of 5,050 people estimating that 7 % of US adults practice yoga .
Clinical trials have also demonstrated many potential health benefits of yoga , including reductions in blood pressure , dyslipidemia , and insulin resistance .
Although the exact mechanisms of hot flashes remain unknown , physiologic studies have demonstrated that heightened sympathetic nervous system activity plays an important role .
Small uncontrolled studies have shown that yoga increases heart rate variability and decreases oxygen consumption , heart rate , and blood pressure , all indicative of decreased sympathetic activity .
In addition to its biological effects , yoga may also have beneficial psychological effects that could lead women to find physical symptoms less bothersome and /or help them to cope better with changes during menopause .
In this issue of Menopause , Chattha and colleagues report results from one of the largest published trials of yoga for menopausal symptoms .
Despite the increasing popularity of yoga , a yoga intervention requiring 60 minutes of supervised instruction five times per week may not be practical for many Western women .
Physical activity and mental health outcomes during menopause: A randomized controlled trial
Background : Many women experience detriments in mental health during the menopausal transition . Physical activity may attenuate these adverse outcomes but few studies investigating such effects exist . Purpose : This study examined the effects of a 4-month r and omized controlled exercise trial on mental health outcomes in 164 previously low-active middle-aged women ( M age=49.9 ; SD=3.6 ) . Methods and Results : Participants completed body composition and fitness assessment and a battery of psychological measures at the beginning and end of a 4-month r and omized controlled exercise trial with three arms : walking , yoga , control . The results indicated that walking and yoga were effective in enhancing positive affect and menopause-related QOL and reducing negative affect . Women who experienced decreases in menopausal symptoms across the trial also experienced improvements in all positive mental health and QOL outcomes and reductions in negative mental health outcomes . Whether menopausal symptoms increased or decreased across the trial appeared to be determined in part by whether there were increases or decreases in cardiorespiratory fitness . Conclusions : Physical activity appears to enhance mood and menopause-related QOL during menopause , however , other aspects of mental health may be affected only as a result of reduction in menopausal symptoms . Increasing cardiorespiratory fitness could be one way to reduce menopausal symptoms
A recent cross-sectional analysis in the multiethnic Study of Women ’s Health Across the Nation found that 53 % of the participants used some form of CAM ( excluding diet , vitamins , exercise , and prayer ) and that rates of use generally did not vary by menopausal status or by presence of vasomotor symptoms .
Significant improvements were also found in sleep quality ( P = 0.02 ) and
I n the wake of serious health concerns raised by the Women ’s Health Initiative and Heart and Estrogen/ progestin Replacement Study clinical trials , prescriptions for hormone therapy have declined dramatically , leaving many women without effective treatment for menopausal symptoms .
Several nonhormonal pharmacologic therapies have shown promise for reducing vasomotor symptoms , including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , gabapentin , and clonidine .
However , most are only modestly effective , and all have side effects that may limit their use .
A number of herbal therapies are marketed to women as being safe and effective in reducing menopausal symptoms , including phytoestrogens , black cohosh , dong quai , evening primrose oil , and red clover .
Still , interest in nonhormonal and particularly in complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ) therapies for menopausal symptoms remains strong .
The term yoga is derived from the Sanskrit term yuj , meaning Bto yoke^ or Bto unite,^ and the goal of yoga has been described as uniting the body and mind to achieve enlightenment .
Yoga has become increasingly popular outside of India , with a 2008 survey of 5,050 people estimating that 7 % of US adults practice yoga .
Clinical trials have also demonstrated many potential health benefits of yoga , including reductions in blood pressure , dyslipidemia , and insulin resistance .
Although the exact mechanisms of hot flashes remain unknown , physiologic studies have demonstrated that heightened sympathetic nervous system activity plays an important role .
Small uncontrolled studies have shown that yoga increases heart rate variability and decreases oxygen consumption , heart rate , and blood pressure , all indicative of decreased sympathetic activity .
In addition to its biological effects , yoga may also have beneficial psychological effects that could lead women to find physical symptoms less bothersome and /or help them to cope better with changes during menopause .
In this issue of Menopause , Chattha and colleagues report results from one of the largest published trials of yoga for menopausal symptoms .
Despite the increasing popularity of yoga , a yoga intervention requiring 60 minutes of supervised instruction five times per week may not be practical for many Western women .