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"My hot flashes are driving me insane! They have me all sweaty during the day and wake me up during the night" were the words of Sarah, a 49-year-old patient of mine. She wanted her hot flashes gone and without using any hormone replacement.
Sarah is not the only one. A whopping 75% of North American women experiencing menopause experience hot flashes and about 25% seek relief from their doctors.
My non-hormonal remedy was an extract from Rheum rhaponticum, also referred to as false rhubarb or Siberian rhubarb. The use of an extract from this plant, called ERr 731, has helped many of my menopausal patients get hot flash and night sweat relief with only one tablet each day. This treatment was trusted by German doctors for the treatment of menopausal symptoms.
A study released in the mainstream journal Menopause found that ERr 731 dramatically decreased the number and intensity of hot flashes in only 4 weeks. After 12 weeks, researchers noted that the menopause-specific quality of life was significantly better in women taking the plant extract compared to placebo. Also, there were no adverse effects found with the ERr 731 extract.
In addition to easing hot flashes, ERr 731 was shown in a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to lower the severity of anxiety in perimenopausal women and improve their general well-being. This is not unusual given that the brain has estrogen receptors that affect brain neurotransmitters such as serotonin.
ERr 731 is unique in that specific constituents trigger estrogen receptors (β receptors) but do not bind to uterine and breast tissues. Gynecological studies have not found problems with endometrial thickening or bleeding. This makes ERr 731 a great option for women that have a history of breast or uterine cancer or have a strong family history of these estrogen-dependent cancers.
ERr 731 is extremely safe. The evaluation of roughly 140 million daily doses of the extract taken by German females over about 11 years revealed only 124 adverse effects reported. Additionally, a review of adverse effects of 13 million tablets used in North America found just 79 complaints. An observational study involving 109 women over 48 weeks was shown to be safe and effective in the long-term treatment of menopausal and perimenopausal women.
When I saw Sarah 8 weeks later, she was very happy with the results of her treatment and had noted her hot flashes were now occasional, and her sleep had stabilized.
