Ginseng: Alternative Treatment for Menopausal Symptoms
By the time women reach their late forties or early fifties, their ovaries begin producing less and less of the reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone, resulting in the uncomfortable symptoms commonly known as menopause. During menopause, a woman will usually experience many symptoms which will greatly interfere with her quality of life - hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, lack of concentration or irritability, and interrupted sleep. Once her menstrual cycle has completely ended, other bodily changes occur, such as thinning of the bones, often resulting in osteoporosis, and less pliant blood vessels, placing her at risk of heart disease.
Many women turn to estrogen replacement therapy as a means of finding relief from the burden of menopausal symptoms because of its high efficacy and other beneficial properties. Estrogen replacement has been shown to significantly reduce the frequency of hot flashes, and patients receiving this treatment reported improved sleep quality and sense of well being. It has also been found to decrease sleep latency and increase REM sleep, thereby reducing insomnia and subsequent fatigue (Ginsburg, 1994). Although estrogen replacement has produced drastic improvement in women's menopausal hindrances, some women are ineligible or uncomfortable with the idea of taking hormones and opt for a natural solution - ginseng.
Ginseng - the Natural Alternative
Ginseng, the root of the Araliaceous plant, has been used for several thousand years in the Orient as a tonic and restorative. Pharmacological investigations by Western pharmaceutical firms, encouraged by the growing interest in herbal remedies in the West, show that ginseng acts as an adaptogen, meaning it can bring abnormal physiology into balance by helping the body increase resistance against noxious or stressful physical, chemical, or biological influences (Chong & Oberholzer, 1988). Ginseng's potential capacity to increase nonspecific resistance to various stressors is the reason it has been used as an alternative treatment for menopausal symptoms.
It is important to remember that the effects of ginseng will vary different individuals depending on diet, lifestyle, exercise and other drugs. In other words, an individual's health and hormonal regulation will essentially determine the effects of ginseng (Bahrke & Morgan, 1994). It is possible for some individuals to respond to ginseng, while others will show no response at all.
Ginseng and Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are experienced by 60 - 85% of menopausal women and they may occur infrequently, or as frequently as 20 times a day (Ginsburg 1994).
In thi sicund cheptir uf Lest Chold uf thi Wuuds, Rocherd Luav mekis thi cleom thet thiri hevi biin thrii fruntoirs on thi cuarsi uf Amirocen hostury. Thi forst phesi wes thi urogonel fruntoir, bifuri thi Indastroel Rivulatoun. Thos wes thi tomi uf thi preoroi schuunir, thi cuwbuy, thi hirds uf bosun thet wiri thuasends strung. Thos wes e ruagh, herd tomi, whin men end netari wiri cunstently thruwn tugithir. Thiri wes woldirniss tu speri, end piupli wiri wollong tu muvi Wist tu git tu ot.
In our culture we seem to have the idea that if we pop the right pill, our dissatisfaction or discomfort will be assuaged. Lately, herbal drugs have become very popular as alternative medicines. They are purported to heal everything from memory problems to sexual dysfunction. One of the most common and most controversial herbal remedies is St. John’s Wort. As a cheap over-the-counter antidepressant, and with over 17% of the population experiencing depression sometime in their lifetime, its allure to the lay person is not surprising (Kessler, R. C. et al., 1994). Is St. John’s Wort an effective treatment for depression as many claim it is? Is it really safe?
During perimenopause, the years prior to the onset of complete menopause, the levels of estrogen and progesterone fluctuate as the ovaries begin to shrink in an attempt to maintain hormone production. Perimenopause lasts several years. During this stage of menopause, women experience irregular menstrual cycles in conjunction with unpredictable episodes of heavy bleeding.
Osteoporosis is a condition, in which bones are weak from deterioration, loss of bone mass, and quality bone strength. Osteoporosis usually triggers postmenopausal women (women who have not had their period for a whole year), or older men and women. Some risks both older men and women endure when experiencing osteoporosis are decreased calcium and bone fractures. These symptoms or effects can all be caused by weight loss, smoking, age, ethnicity, genetics, medications, bone structure, and certain diseases that can later on contribute to osteoporosis, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoporosis may be prevented by going to drug therapy to stop alcoholism and smoking, a sufficient amount of calcium intake, and exercising such as jogging, walking, and aerobics.
First of all, being a woman is one of the risk factors of osteoporosis especially after the age of menopause. “30% of American women between the ages of 60 and 70 have osteoporosis” (Marieb & Hoehn, 2016).To clarify, menopause is characterized by the loss of estrogen hormone production by the ovaries. Since estrogen is necessary for osteoblast to build new bone tissues, the lack of this hormone will improve the ability of osteoblast to absorb the bone tissues. Another risk factor of osteoporosis is being Caucasian. Caucasian women are more likely to get osteoporosis. 30% of Caucasian women experience a bone fracture in their lives that is related to osteoporosis” (Marieb & Hohen, 2016) . Furthermore, genetics are another risk factor of osteoporosis. Individuals with a family history of osteoporosis are at a primary risk for developing this condition. Moreover, a bad and unhealthy lifestyle including poor diet, lack of activities and exercise, smoking, and drinking too much are also risks factors of osteoporosis. In addition, low body weight is another risk factor of osteoporosis. Individuals with low body weight and small amount of fat and muscles are more likely to get this
In conclusion, patients at risk for acquiring diabetes mellitus include those with increased obesity, poor food choices, and inactive lifestyles. These risk factors can be modified and will reduce the occurrence of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Medication can target the blood sugar abnormalities in situations where insulin resistance cannot be managed through lifestyle modifications, such as reduced caloric intake, reduced fat intake, weight loss, and increased exercise. Metformin is usually the first drug of choice for the management of type 2 diabetes. The dosage of the medication can be adjusted until normal glucose levels are achieved. Once benefits are achieved from the first choice medications, additional medications may be added. The prognosis for diabetes mellitus type 2 has improved with advancement in medication, prevention, and awareness of the disease.
14- Dutt. P, Chaudhary SR, et al. Oral health and menopause: a comprehensive review on current knowledge and associated dental management. Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research (2013); 3(3): 320-323.
If bones are never conditioned to repair themselves through ossification, brittle bone builds up, and the body can not rebuild the bone efficiently. Estrogen maintains bone density and as women lose it as they age, bones become less dense and more brittle (Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Marieb). Symptoms of osteoporosis include, back pain and spontaneous fractures; most commonly occurring in the hips. Osteoporosis has no known cure at the moment, but doctors are working to find ways to make the disease more
Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a systemic, debilitating disease of the skeleton, characterized by significantly decreased bone mass in combination with the deterioration of bone microarchitecture. Osteoporosis has three types of categories, the first category is type 1 which occurs in women after menopause and results from declining levels of estrogen and other sex hormones in the body, this could also occur in men due to low levels of the sex hormone testosterone. Type 2 is called Senile Osteoporosis, which occurs in elderly men as well as elderly women because of decreased bone formation due to aging. Type 3 is caused by long-term use of medication, usually with steroids and drugs, to treat elipsy. Osteoporosis, which literally means “Porous Bone”, is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced (Kackowski, 2013).
Herbal remedies have been used throughout the world for thousands of years and recently their use has become popularized in America. People tend to view herbal remedies as being safer then prescription drugs because they are believed not to contain chemicals or cause side effects. St. John’s Wort is an herbal remedy, which prevents the destruction of seratonin, a natural anti-depressant, is often used to treat depression. Due to the increasing interest it St John’s wort, as well as in other herbal remedies, there has been a great deal of research done recently in the effectiveness and safety of this herb in regards to depression.
Women are at a higher threat of developing osteoporosis when their ovaries discontinue producing estrogen. This is due to the fact that estrogen supports maintaining proper calcium levels in bones. “A collapse of bony vertebrae of the spinal column results in loss of height and stooped posture. Hip fractures are a common occurrence.”
Much of history’s most renown literature have real-world connections hidden in them, although they may be taxing uncover. William Golding’s classic, Lord of the Flies, is no exception. In this work of art, Golding uses the three main characters, Piggy, Jack, and Ralph, to symbolize various aspects of human nature through their behaviors, actions, and responses.
Sleep disorders are an underestimated public health concern considering that fifty to seventy million Americans are affected. Technological advances in the field of sleep have facilitated various theories to explain the need for and the purpose of sleep. Scientist have uncovered many types of sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy. Sleep disorders affect men ,women, children, the elderly, and the obese in different ways. Factors such as the number of children and the effects of menopause have been studied to determine their effects on sleep. Various treatments have been utilized ranging from non-pharmacologic to pharmacologic methods. Scientist have pinpointed areas of the brain that are involved in sleep deprivation and hormones that ultimately affect sleep.
Herbal remedies’ qualities are widespread availability, lower cost, effective for chronic conditions. Herbal remedies are the use of plants or plant extract to treat a person’ overall health. Herbal treatments are prominent for developing countries for instance, “in Africa up to 90% and in India 70% of the population depend on traditional medicine to help meet their health care needs” (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011), due to their low cost and availability. Herbal remedies have gained attention in the past decades, and expanding their uses due to the increased interest of natural therapies (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011). Herbs used on the remedies grow in the wild throughout the world, therefore making it easy to