“Many approaches have been promoted as aids in
managing the symptoms of menopause, but
few of them have scientific evidence to back up the claims”.1
Umbrella
What may the Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause Umbrella include?
Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:
- Acupuncture
- Alternative Medicine Practices/Products/Remedies/Therapies/Treatments
- Ayurveda/Ayurvedic Medicine
- Bioidentical Hormone Therapy/Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
- Bioidentical Hormones
- Chinese Medicine Remedies/Therapies/Treatments
- Chiropractic
- Complementary Health Practices/Products/Remedies/Therapies/Treatments
- Complementary Medicine (CM)
- Complementary Medicine Practices/Products/Remedies/Therapies/Treatments
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
- Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH)
- Dietary Supplements
- Energy Medicine
- Herbal Treatments
- Homeopathy
- Hypnosis/Hypnotherapy
- Integrative Health Care/Medicine
- Manipulative and Body Based Therapies
- Massage/Remedial Massage
- Meditation
- Menopause/Perimenopause/Postmenopause
- Mind and Body Approaches/Practices/Therapies/Treatments
- Mindfulness
- Natural Approaches/Practices/Products/Remedies/Therapies/Treatments
- Naturopathy
- Non Mainstream Health Care
- Nutrition/Nutritional/Dietary Approaches
- Osteopathy
- Prayer
- Psychotherapy
- Qi Gong
- Reflexology
- Reiki
- Relaxation
- Remedial Therapy
- Spiritual Healing
- Supplements
- Tai Chi
- Therapeutic Touch
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
- Traditional Medicine
- Yoga
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
What is complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)?
DotS the definition of CAM may vary. In Natural Therapies the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) definition is:
Complementary Health Approaches
Is there an association between complementary health approaches and menopause symptoms?
In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment: Alternative Medicine, dated 25 May 2023, the (United States) Mayo Clinic elaborate on:
- Plant Estrogens (Phytoestrogens)…
- Bioidentical Hormones…
- Black Cohosh…
- Yoga…
- Acupuncture…
- Hypnosis….
You may have heard of or tried other dietary supplements, such as red clover, kava, dong quai, DHEA, evening primrose oil and wild yam (natural progesterone cream). Scientific evidence on effectiveness is lacking, and some of these products may be harmful”.3
The NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
What did the results include in The NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms, dated June 2023?
In The 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Results included:
Recommended: Cognitive-behavioral therapy, clinical hypnosis, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors/ serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, gabapentin, fezolinetant (Level I); oxybutynin (Levels I-II); weight loss, stellate ganglion block (Levels II-III).
Not recommended: Paced respiration (Level I); supplements/herbal remedies (Levels I-II); cooling techniques, avoiding triggers, exercise, yoga, mindfulness-based intervention, relaxation, suvorexant, soy foods and soy extracts, soy metabolite equol, cannabinoids, acupuncture, calibration of neural oscillations (Level II); chiropractic interventions, clonidine; (Levels I-III); dietary modification and pregabalin (Level III)”.4
Where may I find Links related to The NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms?
Your Country may have Links similar to:
The NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
Menopause Symptoms
What are some complementary health approaches for menopause symptoms?
On pages one and two in the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause, first published online 10 June 2022, one of the recommendations is:
- “Alternative therapies, including cognitive behavioural therapy, may also improve hot flushes, nights sweats and other menopausal symptoms and can be considered in women who do not wish to take HRT or have contraindications to taking HRT”.5
In Complementary & Alternative Therapies for Menopausal Women: Non Hormonal Prescribed Treatments the (British) Women’s Health Concern (WHC) elaborate on:

- “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)…
- Herbal Treatments…
- Black Cohosh…
- St John’s Wort…
- Isoflavones and Soya Products (Plant substances found in the diet including red clover supplements)…
- Acupuncture…
- Non Hormonal Prescribed Treatments…
- Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI) [fluoxetine, paroxetine, citalopram, sertraline] and the Serotonin Noradrenaline Re-uptake Inhibitor/Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI-SNRI) [venlafaxine]…
- Gamma Aminobutyric Acid (Gabapentin)…
- Clonidine…
- Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI) [fluoxetine, paroxetine, citalopram, sertraline] and the Serotonin Noradrenaline Re-uptake Inhibitor/Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors (SSRI-SNRI) [venlafaxine]…
- Treatments for breast cancer survivors…”.6
In Natural Therapies the JH elaborate on:
- “Complementary Therapy Use in Australia…
- Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture…
- Alexander Technique…
- Herbal Medicine…
- Homeopathy…
- Nutrition…
- Osteopathy…
- Remedial Massage…”.7
Herbal Medicine
Is there an association between herbal medicine and menopause symptoms?
In Menopause Management Options: Natural Therapies (Complementary Medicine and Therapies), last updated 04 September 2023, the JH explain:
Black Cohosh
Is there an association between black cohosh and menopause symptoms?
In Black Cohosh: What Have We Learned?, last updated May 2020, the NCCIH elaborate on:
- “Research suggests that certain black cohosh extracts and some combination products containing black cohosh may reduce some menopause symptoms. Most of the research has been on a single extract called Remifemin. Research on other black cohosh products has had inconsistent results. Guidelines released in 2015 indicate that there is a lack of consistent evidence for any benefit from black cohosh for menopause symptoms. But a 2017 review of recent research suggests that black cohosh extracts approved for treatment in Europe seem to decrease menopause symptoms”.9
Safe or Not
Are natural therapies safe?
In Safety of Natural Therapies the JH note:
However, this is simply not the case. Just as there are risks and unwanted side effects to conventional medical treatment such as painkillers and prescription drugs, there can be risks and unwanted side effects to natural therapies. Generally, the risks are smaller when it comes to natural therapies, but they are real and need to be respected”.10
Healthy Lifestyle
Is there an association between implementing or maintaining a healthy lifestyle and the improvement of menopause symptoms?
On page one in the Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause one of the recommendations is:
- “Women should be advised that implementing or maintaining a healthy lifestyle can improve menopause symptoms. A healthy diet (one low in saturated fat and salt and rich in calcium and vitamin D), stopping smoking, reducing alcohol intake and including regular exercise can be beneficial. Reducing caffeine intake may also improve symptoms”.11
Questions To Ask
What are some questions to ask health care providers about CIH?
The (United States) Endocrine Society’s Menopause Treatment: Questions For Your Healthcare Provider include:
- “What do you think are possible triggers for my hot flashes?
- Are there any lifestyle or dietary interventions that may diminish my symptoms?
- Should I consider medication for treatment of my symptoms? Hormonal or non-hormonal?
- If you are interested in hormonal therapy: Am I a good candidate for hormonal therapy, specifically are my cardiovascular and breast cancer risks low?
- Which lifestyle changes can I make that will decrease my menopause symptoms without medicine?
- Are there any alternative medicine treatments you would recommend I try for relief of my menopause symptoms?
- Are there any alternative medicines I should not use because they could interfere with medicines I take?”12
Health Care Provider
What if I choose to use CIH?
If you choose to use CIH it may be in your best interest to also choose to talk with your health care providers about this.
In Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Treatment: Alternative Medicine the Mayo Clinic explain
What is the FDA?
FDA can be an abbreviation for the (United States) Food and Drug Administration.
Health Topics A-Z
Where may I find Health Topics A-Z related to Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause?
In Health Topics A-Z you may find:
Links
Where may I find Links related to Complementary and Integrative Health and Menopause?
Your Country may have Links similar to:
Links
This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.New or Updated
- Emerging Research In the Management of Menopausal Symptoms
- Hot Flushes, Night Sweats, Brain Fog? Here’s What We Know About Phytoestrogens for Menopausal Symptoms
- Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
- Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
- The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
- Video Series-2023: NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
- 8 Myths and Truths About Menopausal Hot Flashes
- BMS TV: Bioidentical Hormones
- BMS TV: Complementary and Alternative Therapies
- BMS TV: Menopause – Weight Gain, Nutrition and Lifestyle
- Bioidentical Hormones: Are They Safer?
- CBD: What You Need To Know
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for Menopausal Symptoms
- Complementary & Alternative Therapies: Non Hormonal Prescribed Treatments
- Complementary and Alternative Therapies [Topics]
- Complementary and Integrative Medicine
- DHEA
- Does CBD Help With Anxiety?
- Drugs and Supplements: Herbs, Supplements and Vitamins [Topics]
- Effectiveness of Natural Therapies
- Emerging Research In the Management of Menopausal Symptoms
- Exercise In Menopause
- Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Cannabis and Menopause
- Health Benefits of DIM [Diindolylmethane]
- Herbs and Supplements [Topics]
- Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT): Alternatives
- Hot Flashes: What Can I Do? [+ Video: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Menopause?]
- Hot Flushes, Night Sweats, Brain Fog? Here’s What We Know About Phytoestrogens for Menopausal Symptoms
- How Guided Imagery Helps You Relax
- Integrative Medicine
- Kratom: Unsafe and Ineffective
- Later Years (Around 50 Years and Over): Menopause and Post Menopause Health – Signs and Symptoms [+ Video: Talking Menopause With Your GP]
- Let’s Talk About Perimenopause
- Lubricant Alternatives: What To Use and What To Avoid
- Looking After Yourself
- Managing Your Symptoms
- Maritime Pine
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Help With Hot Flashes Due To Menopause [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
- Mayo Clinic Minute: How Lifestyle Changes May Help Manage Menopause Symptoms [+ Video]
- Mayo Clinic Q and A: Can Medications and Supplements Interact With One Another?
- Mayo Clinic Q and A: Does CBD Live Up To Its Claims?
Mayo Clinic Q&A Podcast: Integrative Women’s Health
- Meditation, Mindfulness and Mental Health
- Menopause & Herbs
- Menopause Fact Sheet: The Menopause
- Menopause Hormone Therapy and Complementary Alternative Medicine, Quality of Life, and Racial/Ethnic Differences: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN)
- Menopause Management Options: Natural Therapies (Complementary Medicine and Therapies)
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Questions for Your Health Care Provider
- Menopause Map: Downloadable Resources – My Personal Path Print Tools: Symptom Tracker
- Menopause Mindfulness: A Personal Toolkit for Menopause Preparedness
- Menopause Mindfulness: Embracing the Change of My Midlife
- Menopause Patient Information [Videos] 5. Lifestyle Advice In Menopause & Perimenopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Lifestyle Tips for Menopause Wellness
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Treating Vasomotor Symptoms of Menopause
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit Video Series: Mindfulness & Wellbeing During the Menopause Transition
- Menopause Preparedness Toolkit: A Woman’s Empowerment Guide
- Menopause Symptoms: Mayo Clinic Expert Outlines Hormone and Nonhormonal Therapies
- Menopause Treatment: Complementary Alternative Medicines
- Menopause Treatments: What Works, What Doesn’t
- Menopause Wellness Hub
- Menopause, Perimenopause, Hormone Therapy and Other Treatments With Madelyn Butler, MD [Podcast]
- Menopause: Continuing the Conversation – A Holistic Approach To Menopause [Video]
- Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment– Alternative Medicine
- Menopause: Ensuring A Tranquil Transition
- Menopause: Understanding the Changes and Finding Relief | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 256
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: 4 Things To Know About Menopausal Symptoms and Complementary Health Practices
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Acupuncture: What You Need To Know
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Black Cohosh
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Dietary and Herbal Supplements
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Hypnosis
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Kratom
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Placebo Effect
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Red Clover
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Relaxation Techniques: What You Need To Know
- Natural Remedies To Help Manage Perimenopause Symptoms
- Natural Therapies
- Navigating Menopause: Expert Insights and Solutions | Dr Susan Davis | The Proof Podcast EP 245
- Non-Estrogen Treatments for Menopausal Symptoms
- Nonhormone Treatments for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Black Cohosh
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin and Mineral Fact Sheets
- Phytoestrogens
- Probiotics May Help Boost Mood and Cognitive Function
- Pueraria
- Safety of Natural Therapies
- Supplements for Menopause Symptoms: Are They Safe?
- The First WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit [17-18 August 2023]
- The Truth About Menopause Supplements | Dr Sarah Berry
- Therapy for the Effects of Menopause
- Tips To Help Manage Menopause Symptoms
- Traditional Medicine
- Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine
- Treating Menopause Symptoms Without Hormones
- Using Natural Therapies In the Menopause Transition – Webinar
- Video Series-2022: Perimenopause, Signs, Symptoms, and Solutions
- Video Series-2023: NAMS 2023 Nonhormone Therapies Position Statement for Bothersome Menopause Symptoms
- Video Series-2023: New FDA-Approved Nonhormone Option for the Treatment of Hot Flashes
- What Black Cohosh Can (and Can’t) Do for Menopause Symptoms
- What Everyone Should Know About Menopause Symptoms
- What Is Chasteberry, and What Can It Do?
- What Is Menopause? [Video]
- What Is Traditional Chinese Medicine?
- What We Know About Marijuana
Sources
Where may I find the Sources quoted?
You may find the Sources quoted at:
Sources
- Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Alternative Medicine. 25 May 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Natural Therapies. Last Updated: 26 August 2023. Last Reviewed: 16 December 2016. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/natural-therapies-supplements/natural-therapies Accessed: 11 October 2023
- 2023 Nonhormone Therapy Position Statement of The North American Menopause Society: Results. June 2023. https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/professional/2023-nonhormone-therapy-position-statement.pdf Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Alternative Medicine. 25 May 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published 10 June 2022:1-2. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Complementary & Alternative Therapies for Menopausal Women: Non Hormonal Prescribed Treatments. Publication Date: September 2020. Women’s Health Concern https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/complementaryalternative-therapies-menopausal-women/ Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Natural Therapies. Last Updated: 26 August 2023 | Last Reviewed: 16 December 2016. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/natural-therapies-supplements/natural-therapies Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Menopause Management Options: Natural Therapies (Complementary Medicine and Therapies). Last Updated: 04 September 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/menopause-management Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Black Cohosh: What Have We Learned? Last Updated: May 2020. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/black-cohosh Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Safety of Natural Therapies. Last Updated: 26 August 2023 | Last Reviewed: 10 June 2016. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/natural-therapies-supplements/safety-of-natural-therapies Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Hamoda, H., Mukherjee, A., Morris, E., Baldeweg, S. E., Jayasena, C. N., Briggs, P., Moger, S. Joint Position Statement By the British Menopause Society, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Society for Endocrinology on Best Practice Recommendations for the Care of Women Experiencing the Menopause. First Published 10 June 2022:1. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20533691221104879 Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Menopause Treatment: Questions For Your Healthcare Provider. 24 January 2022. Endocrine Society https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/menopause-treatment Accessed: 11 October 2023
- Menopause: Diagnosis & Treatment – Alternative Medicine. 25 May 2023. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353401 Accessed: 11 October 2023