CBD & Menopause: The remedy for menopausal symptoms?
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When hot flushes and sweats suddenly appear in middle age, it is often a sign that the menopause is approaching. Some women hardly notice the hormonal changes during the menopause, for others the so-called climacteric can be an enormous physical and psychological burden. The menopause cannot be stopped - but something can be done about the negative side effects. In the following article, readers will learn more about menopausal symptoms and the role that herbal remedies such as CBD could play.
Note: This article only refers to women, but is intended to include all people with female reproductive organs.
Typical symptoms of the menopause
Menopause remedies: What are the benefits of medication?
Menopause and hot flushes: Herbal remedies
CBD for the menopause
CBD for menopausal symptoms
Which CBD products can help during menopause?
Menopause is not an illness in the strict sense of the word, but is part of many women's lives. It is usually triggered by an imbalance of the sex hormones. Around the age of 40, in the so-called premenopause, the ovaries begin to produce less oestrogen and progesterone. In the perimenopause, which begins around the age of 50, the imbalance in hormone balance increases, follicle maturation continues to decline and ovulation eventually stops. As a result, unpleasant symptoms can develop and the last menstrual period (menopause) occurs. Even in the post-menopause, when hormone balance should have returned to the body, certain accompanying symptoms (e.g. vaginal dryness) may persist.
Women who do not get their periods, for example because they no longer have a uterus, can also reach the menopause and are confronted with characteristic symptoms.
Typical symptoms of the menopause
How women experience their menopause depends on many different factors. About one third feel strongly affected by the symptoms. The most common symptoms, apart from hot flushes and heavy sweating - the so-called vasomotor symptoms - are dryness of the mucous membranes. Due to the reduced oestrogen production, the mucous membranes of the vagina and vulva in particular are less well moistened and their thickness decreases. This can cause an unpleasant burning sensation and pain during sexual intercourse. Complaints of this kind, but also the general certainty of ageing, can put emotional strain on women at this stage of life.
Other psychological and physical symptoms associated with the menopause are:
- Heart palpitations, palpitations and fluctuations in blood pressure.
- Dizziness
- Sleep disturbances
- Bladder weakness
- Weight changes
- Thinning of the hair and skin changes
- Loss of libido
- Mood swings, irritability and depression
- Concentration problems
So far, it is not scientifically clear which symptoms can be directly attributed to the hormonal changes. Some menopausal symptoms can also be influenced and triggered by other factors, e.g. the normal ageing process.
Remedies for menopause: What do medicines do?
Treating menopausal symptoms with medication is difficult. Although hormone replacement therapies (e.g. with oestrogen and progestin) can temporarily relieve symptoms, they can also be responsible for numerous side effects such as spotting, breast tenderness, weight gain or nausea.
Years of hormone treatment can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease or breast cancer - for this reason, they should only be used after consultation with your gynaecologist and careful consideration. When the hormones are stopped, the symptoms often return.
Sometimes other medicines such as antidepressants are also used - but these also sometimes have considerable side effects and their effect on menopausal symptoms has not been proven.
Menopause: Herbal remedies
Some women take herbal remedies and dietary supplements to relieve symptoms during the menopause. Unlike classical hormone therapy, herbal oestrogens such as those found in natural soya-based hormone preparations are used. Other medicinal herbs used for menopausal symptoms are:
- Black cohosh
- Chinese angelica
- Evening primrose
- Ginseng
- St. John's wort
However, whether the effect of these medicinal plants goes beyond the placebo effect has not been scientifically proven. Women seeking herbal treatments may also consider using products containing cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is one of the more than 100 cannabinoids contained in the hemp plant and, unlike THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), has no intoxicating effect. Nevertheless, cannabidiol is often appreciated for its positive properties and is also discussed in connection with menopause.
CBD in the menopause
The menopause is often an emotionally upsetting time with numerous changes for body and psyche. Many women long for more balance and relaxation during this phase of life. Cannabidiol (CBD) could be a possible help here.
According to experience, CBD is supposed to provide relaxation, strengthen the nerves and generally improve the mood and would thus be suitable to remedy the characteristic imbalance during the menopause. If those affected were generally more relaxed about the upcoming changes, this could in turn have a positive effect on the course of the menopause.
However, it must be noted that research on CBD is still in its infancy. Specific studies and reliable results on the effects of CBD in the menopause are therefore still pending.
CBD for menopausal symptoms
Many people report relief of their symptoms through the use of CBD. Experts who suspect a possible positive influence of the cannabinoid on the body explain this improvement with the body's own endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ESC has receptors everywhere in the body to which both endogenous messenger substances (endocannabinoids) and the cannabinoids of the hemp plant can dock. The body's own cannabinoids intervene when needed and are responsible for anti-inflammatory, anxiety-relieving and mood-lifting processes, among other things. The fact that cannabinoids like CBD dock to these very receptors explains the possible effects as well as the presumed effects on the female cycle or the sensation of pain. Most of these processes are also influenced by the menopause and therefore it would be possible to alleviate the symptoms typical of menopausal symptoms and positively influence the well-being of women. A better mood and more balance could also have a positive effect on a reduced libido.
Which CBD products can help during menopause?
For internal use of CBD, oils and drops in which the cannabinoid of the hemp plant is dissolved are best suited. But products for external use can also support women during menopause. A massage oil with CBD, for example, can contribute to more balance and relaxation and improve the well-being of the user. For skin problems, e.g. dry or impure skin, which are triggered by the menopause, care products with CBD can be helpful.
FAQ
How does CBD help with menopausal symptoms?
According to experience reports, CBD is appreciated by many users for its relaxing properties and is said to have a positive influence on the general well-being. This would offer the possibility to support stressed and overstrained women during their menopause. According to experts, an improvement of the symptoms could be attributed to the interaction of cannabidiol with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS is thought to be involved in numerous processes in the body - such as the sensation of emotions.
Does CBD work against hot flushes?
So far, there are no conclusive studies on whether CBD helps against menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes. However, CBD is often appreciated by users for its relaxing and balancing properties. CBD is also said to support a person's well-being in general. Hot flushes during menopause are often associated with stress and inner turmoil. The relaxation-promoting properties of CBD could be helpful in bringing body and mind back into balance.
