menopause

The Link Between Alcohol and Breast Cancer

Christopher Labos MD, MSc — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 19:04:33 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

Many Men Prescribed Testosterone Don't Need It

Christopher Labos MD, MSc — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 19:16:09 +0000

This article was first published in The Montreal Gazette.

Alternative Therapy for Menopause?

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Mon, 06 May 2013 21:40:06 +0000

Black cohosh. This plant native to North America has traditionally been used to treat menopausal symptoms with mostly anecdotal evidence for efficacy. Dr. Katherine Newton of the Group Health Cooperative in Seattle decided to put black cohosh to a scientific test and enlisted 351 menopausal women between the ages of 45-55 who experienced at least two hot flashes a night. The women were randomly assigned to one of five treatment groups: 160 milligrams of black cohosh daily; a multi-botanical supplement containing 200 milligrams black cohosh and 9 other herbal ingredients including alfalfa, pomegranate and Siberian ginseng; a multi-botanical supplement plus increased soy consumption; hormone therapy; or placebo capsules. After 3, 6, and 12 months, black cohosh was no better than placebo in reducing the frequency or severity of hot flashes or night sweats. The same was true for the other herbal products. Women who were given hormone therapy had significantly fewer hot flashes and night sweats than women given placebo. Another issue with black cohosh is its potential to interfere with the effectiveness of drugs used in cancer therapy. Read more

An Herbal Treatment for Menopause

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 15:21:07 +0000

I don’t know what a hot flash feels like, but by all accounts it isn’t pleasant. About three quarters of women going through menopause know all about hot flashes which may occur several times a day for years. From what I’ve been told, the sensation may just mimic standing close to a fireplace, or it may feel as if the gates of hell have been thrown open. The misery is caused by declining levels of estrogen due to a winding down of ovarian activity. This decline is sensed by the hypothalamus, the tiny organ in the brain that controls our body temperature.

What are Bioidentical Hormones?

Joe Schwarcz PhD — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:49:34 +0000

Who would you think knows more about menopausal symptoms and their treatment: an actress of very questionable scientific pedigree, or a Professor of medicine who has carried out and published a plethora of studies on the subject? I would think that University of New South Wales professor Dr. Barry Wren’s opinion would be more respected than that of Suzanne Somers, whose main claim to fame is that she once played a ditzy blond on the television show “Three’s Company.” But that’s my opinion.

Food Trumps Pills When It Comes to Calcium for Bones

Melody Ko, MD — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 07:05:03 +0000

One of the main things that postmenopausal women have to watch out for is osteoporosis, a condition characterized by weakened bones that can fracture easily. Contrary to common belief, bones are not static. They are constantly being broken down and rebuilt. Osteoblasts are cells that form new bone tissues and deposit calcium into bones; whereas osteoclasts break down old bone tissues and deport calcium away from bones, a process called bone resorption. These cells are controlled by several hormones, one of them being estrogen.