Perimenopause - Menopause

You might be suffering from climacteric syndrome and not even know it – probably because you call it something else.
Here are some of the symptoms that characterize this syndrome:
Irritability
Depression and anxiety
High cholesterol
Chronic headaches
Hot flashes
That last item gave it away.

Symptoms of menopause are the symptoms that comprise climacteric syndrome. But typically, these symptoms begin gradually, ushering in perimenopause, the transitional stage that precedes menopause. Call this time of life what you like – perimenopause, menopause, the climacteric – it all adds up to the same thing: You need relief and you want it to be safe and free of synthetic hormone replacement therapy.

Maybe a little pine bark extract can help. Steady improvement-Pycnogenol has been featured in several e-Alerts over the years – primarily for its ability to help manage cholesterol levels. This extract, taken from the inner bark of pine trees that grow in a French maritime forest, has also been shown to reduce menstrual pain and calm hyperactivity, so a team of researchers at Ham-Min Hospital in Taiwan designed a study to investigate the effects of Pycnogenol in relieving symptoms of climacteric syndrome (CS). Researchers recruited more than 150 women who were diagnosed with perimenopause. In each subject, status of depression/anxiety, dilation and constriction of blood vessels, memory, sleep habits, sexual activity, menstrual activity, etc., were assessed with the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ). Then the women were divided into two groups to receive either 200 mg of Pycnogenol daily, or a placebo. During the six-month intervention, each subject was checked three different times to assess blood pressure, antioxidant and cholesterol levels, and body mass index measurements.

RESULTS:
After just one month, subjects in the Pycnogenol group reported improvement in symptoms
Antioxidant levels were boosted, compared to placebo
Overall, every WHQ symptom improved in the Pycnogenol group but not in the placebo group
LDL cholesterol dropped by 10 percent overall in the Pycnogenol group
In addition, LDL/HDL ratio was improved in the Pycnogenol group, but not in the placebo group
No side effects were reported -Bonus benefit - Pycnogenol contains a powerful antioxidant and a variety of polyphenols with anti- inflammatory properties that have been shown to benefit the cardiovascular system by promoting proper blood flow. But as I noted in the e-Alert "Slow Sugar" (3/22/07), Pycnogenol may provide another significant benefit for menopausal women: improved blood sugar control.

In a trial that included nearly 80 subjects with type 2 diabetes, half received 100 mg of Pycnogenol daily and half received a placebo. After 12 weeks, subjects in the Pycnogenol group significantly lowered their plasma glucose levels compared to placebo. Pycnogenol subjects were also found to have improved artery function.

In a trial of 30 type 2 diabetics, researchers gave subjects Pycnogenol doses of 50, 100, 200, and 300 mg each day in three-week intervals. Subjects who received 100 to 300 mg of Pycnogenol significantly lowered their fasting glucose levels. About five years ago, William Campbell Douglass, II, M.D., told readers of his Daily Dose e-letter that Pycnogenol might compete with aspirin as the "wonder drug" of the 21st Century. But there's one important thing that Pycnogenol doesn't do: It doesn't promote gastrointestinal bleeding.

You can find more information about Pycnogenol – including links to additional research – at pycnogenol.com. You can't purchase Pycnogenol through that site, but links to several vendors are provided. If you have menopausal symptoms, type 2 diabetes, or are at high risk of heart disease, talk to your doctor or health care professional before taking Pycnogenol.