Quick and Simple Solutions to Symptoms of Menopause
That aren't bioidentical hormones
As I wrote about here:
I use bioidentical hormones extensively to treat symptoms of menopause. However, I've found a number of supplements, dietary changes, and daily habits can make almost as a great a difference as hormone replacement can.
Watch or listen to my interview with Dr. Rosensweet about bioidentical hormones here.
This does not make them a substitute for bioidentical hormones, but it does make them useful ancillary treatments.
Here are my top five.
1. Optimizing circadian rhythms
Light entrains our circadian rhythms. Most of our hormones have a circadian rhythm, and therefore are subject to the influence of light. This explains why many hormonal symptoms improve when we create a healthier light environment.
There are two key components to a healthy light environment. They are optimal natural light exposure during the day, and darkness or lack of artificial light at night.
Many women report their menopausal symptoms improve or even resolve when they just spend more time outside, with full-spectrum sunlight hitting their eyes and skin. Sunglasses or shade can be used if you can’t tolerate direct sunlight, but they reduce the benefits of sunlight. You won't find this in any peer-reviewed clinical studies - this has just been my overwhelming clinical experience.
Darkness and avoidance of artificial light at night are just as important as natural light during the day. Blue blockers improve sleep. Improving sleep tends to ameliorate all symptoms associated with hormone deficiency. Sleep deprivation or poor sleep quality tends to exacerbate symptoms of hormone deficiency or imbalance. Wear your blue blockers and use low-blue light bulbs.
Learn more about blue blockers and fixing your light environment in these posts:
2. Melatonin
I have written about melatonin dosing before. It is handy for knocking out hot flashes. Often, we must use a dose far higher than women are accustomed to. I have women in my practice taking over 100 mg daily. I am not recommending that for you - I cover exactly how I use melatonin in my High-Dose Melatonin Protocol.
3. Iodine
The symptoms of menopause have significant overlap with the symptoms of low thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone requires iodine for its production. When we add iodine, regardless of what happens to thyroid hormone levels, we reliably see symptoms of low thyroid hormone levels improve. One of the first things I recommend to women in menopause is to consume more iodine. This is why kelp is included in Dr. Stillman's Detox Powder. I wrote a High Dose Iodine Protocol over a year ago.
Here are a few of my favorite posts on iodine:
Eyebrow hair loss is one of the top symptoms of low thyroid that I recommend iodine for. So is light therapy. Here’s a quick testimonial about a woman who regrew her eyebrows with iodine and light therapy:
4. Boron
Boron has interesting effects on sex steroid hormones. From what I can tell, it increases levels of these hormones. I am not entirely sure why, and I'm not sure anyone is. It isn't that well-researched. But it's exceedingly safe. I use a dose of approximately 5 mg. Some go higher than that. Some may not need doses that high.
5. Light therapy
A menopausal woman said to me recently, "I'm getting younger." She was going to start bioidentical hormones with us over a year ago. She is still going strong without them.
What's her secret?
Light therapy!
Another woman, just the other morning, said to me, “My fine lines and wrinkles are going away.”
Light therapy can help with everything from hot flashes to fatigue to brain fog to anxiety to depression to the loss of skin integrity (crow's feet, creases, lines, wrinkles, and downright sagging skin).
To learn more about light therapy, join our light therapy meeting, Wednesdays at 8:30 PM Eastern.
Light shapes life - how is it shaping yours?
Until next time, be well,
Dr. Stillman
I can personally attest that in addition to taking the correct supplements and increasing my protein… Nothing worked better for my menopausal symptoms then getting on high dose iodine
I firmly believe that menopause is a thyroid issue and not a hormonal issue based on my personal experience
I was lucky and I never had hot flashes, night sweats, I never had any of those typical symptoms. But I did have the mental fog, cold, hands, cold feet, dry nails, stations in the nails, hair loss, weight gain, sleep apnea. And it’s interesting because Nearly 70% of menopausal women have sleep apnea, and 60% of people with sleep apnea have an under active thyroid. Not a clinically, diagnosed, hypo thyroid, yet an under active one which flies under the radar in lab results.
I also had aches all over my body and huge muscle cramps
The first thing I did was I in increased my salt intake because I recognized I was low on sodium. The muscle aches and quite a bit of the brain fog went away.
Yeah, when I added iodine, all of the muscle cramps disappeared. Bodyaches disappeared. Hair started growing back more thick.
And I realize probably an iodine deficient for at least 30 to 40 years, and salt deficient for 20 or more
I feel tons better.