In recent years natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy have been sought after. This is primarily due to some of the dangerous side effects of hormone replacement, which can include an increased risk of breast and endometrial cancer. Despite carrying with it its own harmful side effects black cohosh is often used as natural alternative. Studies have found that women prefer natural treatments to those of artificial ones. Such natural hormones work in such a manner by containing plant estrogen that have a chemical structure that resembles that of human estrogen. Such a chemical structure has been found capable of attaching themselves to the estrogen receptors in human beings.
Studies have pinpointed phytoestrogens as the key to the positive function of black cohosh in the handling of menopause symptoms. Despite being found to be much weaker than natural human produced hormone, the estrogen in plants has been found to react with the body's estrogenic receptors in varying ways. Such reactions differ between person and person and even between men and women. The main 3 groups of phytoestrogens include: isoflavones, coumestans and lignans and research has found this component capable of curbing the dangerous effects of a variety of ailments.
Studies have found that the exact effects of estrogen replacement therapy vary depending on the region of the world. The Chung study in Asia found that the process does not decrease the regularity of hot flashes amongst Asian women. In addition to this estrogen replacement therapy can include some notable harmful side effects, including an increased chance of contracting breast cancer. In comparison studies testing the effectiveness of black cohosh in lessening the regularity and the severity of hot flashes have show it to help with this symptom. Placebo based studies have shown black cohosh to help to varying degrees in the treatment of sweating, hot flashes and sleep disorders.
The use of black cohosh is regularly used as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy due to the latter's dangerous side effects. Its benefits can be seen in its prevention of cancer as well as its curbing of menopause symptoms such as hot flashes. Its side effects are considered considerably harsher than that of hormone replacement therapy and as a consequence more and more women are seeking natural treatments in the treatment of menopause symptoms.
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HRT hormones. What are their function? How should you deal with low estrogen production? and much more.
Sources: JAMA - The Journal of the American Medical Association - Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:1161-1172.
