Special Herb to Stop Menopause Symptoms.

Menopause can be a smooth transition for some women, but others are plaqued with flushes, noght sweats, fatigue, depression, headaches, and othe troublesome symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which used to be routinely prescribed to replace lost estrogen and mitigate symptoms, has come under fire in recent decades for a possible link to breast cancer.

Red Clover has long been a major weapon in herbalist's defense against the symptoms of menopause. Red Clover contains isoflavones, which are plant-based chemicals that have effects similar to estrogen. Now, a Danish study finds that fermented red clover extract effectively prevents the hot flushes, hormonal swings, and bone loss that often accompany menopause. It decreases both the number and severity of daily hot flushes, one of the most annoying symptoms.

It is the fermentation of red clover that makes the herb so effective, says researcher Max Norman Tandrup Lambert. "The lactic acid fermentation increases the bioavailability of te bioactive estrogen-like compounds, known as isoflavones or phytoestrogens, that red clover has in abundance."

For one study 60 women with menopausal symptoms were chosen who were selected due to having at least 5 severe hot flushes per day.

The women were divided into two groups of 30. One group drank 150ml (about 5 ounces) of red clover extract daily for 12 weeks while the other 30 drank a placebo product. The researchers were "speechless," said Lambert. "There was a much greater effect than we had hoped for."

Other studies have found that red clover increases HDL -- The "good" cholesterol -- in women, and another found that menopausal women taking red clover supplements had stronger and more flexible arteries. Some studies have found that red clover extract slows bone loss in women.

In addition, a study appearing in Phytomedicine found that red clover could prevent potential brain damage triggered by the food additive MSG!