Research has proved the fact that healing properties of turmeric helpful in menopause and post menopause condition. Find out how it can be boon to those women who are going through this.
If you are a woman you will know what a blessing it is to be one. But you will equally know how much you have to bear each month when your menses are on or around. But this is not it.
Once your cycles decide to stop, you will face a number of issues which may prevail for a long time.
In this article, you will discover how Turmeric can help you during the tough days of menopause – the period in a woman’s life when her menstruation concludes.
Table of Contents
Menopause And Its Symptoms
Menopause is a very crucial phase in a woman’s life marking the end of her reproductive ability. This is the natural phase when your ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone.
It is likely to occur in your midlife, ranging from late 40 to early 50s. It involves changes in your hormones and reduced activity of the ovaries.
Your reproductive cells which are known as ova are no longer released by the ovaries. The production of hormones which cause menstrual flow is also reduced and erratic hormonal levels are observed.
Some of the symptoms that are the prevalent post and pre-menopause are:
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Hot flashes
- Palpitations
- Vaginal atrophy(Itching and shrinking of genital areas)
- Urgency of urination
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Concentration problems
- Insomnia
Postmenopausal Effects
After menopause, you are at an increased risk for many disorders and diseases. Namely:
- Heart disease
- Macular degeneration
- Glaucoma
- Breast cancer
- Osteoporosis
Though menopause isn’t a disease, however, one can look for ways to treat the symptoms.
Turmeric For Menopause
Turmeric For Menopause
Turmeric works as an antioxidant, has various characteristics like anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-cancer and a wide range of pharmacological properties.
Turmeric consists of an active ingredient – curcumin. It contributes significantly to the herb’s healing properties.
Turmeric or Curcuma longa serves to be therapeutic in various health disorders of menopause:
1. As A Painkiller
Menopause brings along with it many issues for you. Body ache and muscle soreness are the two most common complaints you will have.
The anti-inflammatory property of turmeric relieves you from such complaints. Turmeric is proven to be better than mainstream painkillers. It has high analgesic potency in comparison to common painkillers.
It also improves postoperative pain and fatigue. It can help you get rid of a migraine, joint pain or muscle soreness caused by menopause.
2. Against Depression
Menopause and depression come hand in hand. Turmeric can help in dissipating your blues. However, depression and low estrogen have little or no correlation.
It is analyzed and confirmed that factors such as later-stage perimenopause, sleep disruption, stress, and the presence of hot flashes are related to the depressive symptoms.
Turmeric is proven to be a really effective antidepressant. Curcumin has comparable antidepressant activities to that of other regular antidepressants but unlike other antidepressants, curcumin will not cause adverse effects on you.
Also, it is effective in controlling anxiety. Turmeric boosts your DHA levels which are vital for controlling anxiety and essential for your brain development and functioning.
3. As A Phytoestrogen
Phytoestrogen is a plant metabolite. It is used to mimic or modulate the activity of body estrogen. Turmeric is proven to be a strong phytoestrogen.
Phytoestrogen supplements are suggested as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy usually. During menopause, your body will suffer from estrogen deficiency.
It can lead you to risk for many health problems, such as mood swings, hot flashes, joint pain, sleeping disorders, vaginal dryness, reduced bone density, cardiovascular disease and many more.
Turmeric stands helpful in helping you against these ailments as it can elevate and balance estrogen levels.
4. For Hot Flashes
75% of the women in perimenopause complain of hot flashes affecting them. It is a feeling of intense heat that will leave you sweating profusely and give you a rapid heartbeat.
Low levels of estrogen lead to this symptom. Turmeric’s potent antioxidant activity and estrogen activity can prevent hot flashes from affecting you.
5. For Vaginal Infections And Urinary Incontinence
Decline in estrogen levels and vaginal atrophy can raise your susceptibility to vaginal infections. Infections accompanied by vaginal discharge, soreness and itching in the genital area are common aspects.
This can also lead you to suffer from urinary incontinence. Turmeric is known for its natural anti-microbial characteristics. Also, its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and anti-fungal properties are put to use.
It is experienced that, proper turmeric treatment reliefs from all symptoms of infection. Thus, turmeric can ward off your vaginal infections and chances of urinary incontinence
6. For Breast Soreness And Breast Cancer
Levels of your hormones control the development of post-menopausal breast cancer. Phytoestrogens have a protective effect on breast cancer risk.
Post menopause can also bring in soreness in the breasts, causing utter discomfort and even pain. Curcuminoids in turmeric have anti-breast cancer effect.
They inhibit the development of breast cancer cells. Researchers also suggest that curcumin should be given as an adjuvant to chemotherapeutic drugs in treating breast cancer due to their numerous molecular mechanisms involved in turmeric’s anti-cancer effect.
Hormonal treatment also increases the risk of breast cancer in post-menopause. If you take curcumin along with hormonal therapy, then it will act as chemopreventive agent and reduce the risk of developing breast cancer and soreness.
7. For Your Heart
If you are in your post-menstrual phase then you should be more concerned about your heart. Women, who are post-menopausal are more likely to suffer from a heart attack and heart problems than men.
Reduction in the estrogen levels can lead to increased palpitations of you heart. Curcumin protects against cardiovascular diseases. Curcumin is recommended as it has many beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.
Also, its protective action against aging. Turmeric has antithrombotic property. This will help you in reducing the risk of atherosclerosis, heart failure and irregular heartbeat.
With age, it is seen that blood vessel tend to narrow down and lose elasticity. Thus obstructing the blood flow and giving birth to a number of heart problems. If you get curcumin ingestion plus exercise, then it can reduce stress.
Curcumin also restores normal cardiac functioning for people who have already experienced heart attacks.
8. For Your Bone Health
Osteoporosis is defined as the condition which is characterized by loss of bone mineral density. Menopause increases the risk of osteoporosis.
Bones constantly turn over their cells. This process regulates the activity of osteoclast bone cells that breaks down bone. Cellular level changes during menopause can detrimentally affect bone activity. Reduced percentage of estrogen can reduce your bone formation.
It will cause an imbalance between your bone formation and absorption leading to weak bones leading to fractures. Curcumin increases the density of bone due to its antioxidant property. The University of Arizona had undergone tests.
The experiments proved the protective effect of turmeric in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Surgical removal of the ovary was performed in rats and they were treated with turmeric extracts of different compositions.
Curcuminoids extracts reduced 50% of the bone loss caused by ovariectomy. Drop in your hormones can lead to decreased immunity. This can lead to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.
Turmeric is proven to reduce inflammation and simultaneously activate the antioxidant defense system to reduce the onset and the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.
Cells which are bone developing are called Chondrocytes. Chondrocytes’ protective properties are possessed by Curcumin. And it balances bone formation and bone re-absorption.
Thus, attribute turmeric will prevent the development of osteoarthritis in your body. You should drink turmeric milk for this.18
9. Turmeric Boosts Immunity
Turmeric is said to perfectly balance and restore your immunity. Immunity is a matter of concern for you if you’re postmenopausal.
Decreased estrogen levels will give you reduced immunity and increases vulnerability to autoimmune diseases. This leads to the incidence of diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Surgical menopause is also linked with the same. Turmeric as a phytoestrogen can also help your body in repairing immune responses. Well, this is not it! Curcumin is also an immune booster.
Curcumin holds immune-modulating properties. It can result in reducing your inflammation, migration of your immune cells, and the production of pro-inflammatory chemicals, leading to the development of autoimmune diseases.
10. Maintain Weight
Body fat distribution after menopause is caused due to deposition of fat tissue in the abdominal region and hormonal changes.
Hormonal replacement therapy can possibly reduce weight gain. Turmeric mediates its anti-obesity effects in various ways by:
Regulating fat metabolism.
Inhibiting formation of fats and development of fat tissue.
Demonstrating anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity. This reduces inflammation in fat tissue.
Reducing risk of cancers of the colon, breast, kidney cancer etc.
11. Ovarian And Uterine Cancer
Turmeric will interfere with your molecular pathways which may be responsible for cause and growth of cancer.
Also, curcumin possesses therapeutic benefits. If curcumin plus chemo together will be less drug resistant.
If your ovarian cancer cells receive pre-treatment from curcumin they will be more vulnerable to chemotherapy.
Turmeric delivery can be in the form of nanoparticles that make the cancer cells less resistant to chemotherapy. Pre-treatment with curcumin will also you to lower doses of radiation.
Cisplatin is required to suppress proliferation of ovarian cancer cells and it will help you suffer from fewer side effects and lesser toxicity. Pre-treatment of the cancer cells with turmeric will increase your chemo/radio-sensitization.
The cells are resistant to cisplatin via multiple molecular mechanisms. Hence, if you use curcumin, it could provide therapeutic benefits for ovarian cancer.
If you consume the root of the turmeric on a daily basis then it can be very effective in treating uterine cancer. The role of turmeric in ovarian cancer looks positive and promising.
12. Vaginal Bleeding And Vaginal Dryness
Vaginal bleeding is seen in many women after menopause. It can be due to serious conditions like cancer. But, many of them are harmless.
They may occur due to hormonal changes after menopause. Vaginal bleeding can be due to the hormonal changes in a woman’s body after menopause. However, it is a short-term disorder and is often due to problems in the endometrial lining of the uterus.
Another common symptom of post menopause is vaginal dryness. It can give you severe pain and discomfort. The most common reason behind this can be Estrogen imbalance.
Thus, turmeric will help you in the regulation of adequate levels of estrogen in your body. Hence, turmeric prevents you from such ailments.
13. Fibroids
Non-cancerous tumors called fibroids grow in the wall of the uterus. A major percentage of women develop fibroids post menopause.
Usually, it is seen that surgical procedures and hormone therapy are the used as the common line of treatment.
Curcumin inhibits the growth of cells that make up these uterine fibroids and also prevent proliferation. The anti-inflammatory property of curcumin cures this effect.
14. Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease is caused by rampant inflammation within the brain. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties which remove accumulated plaque improving oxygen flow in your brain.
15. Insomnia
Menopause could be the cause of your insomnia. Drinking a cup of hot milk mixed with a bit of dried cardamom, ginger and turmeric just before bed. Ayurvedic experts suggest it promotes sound sleep.
16. Skin Deterioration
One day you might look down at your hands and notice that the texture has completely changed. Suddenly you may notice your skin is dryer and lines around your eyes and patches of dry scalp on your head.
It is been proven that these conditions are met when there is a declining level of estrogen. Turmeric consumption will regulate the flow of estrogen in your body, thus, taking care of your skin too.
17. More Hair And Less Hair
Hormone imbalances can be lead to havoc for your hair too. You may notice the appearance of hair on the chin or on the backs of your fingers. It may also result in loss of hair or be thinning of hair on your head.
Both estrogen and androgen levels are declining. But, the rate of estrogen loss is faster, meaning the androgen suddenly has more prominence.
This leads to one major side effect – hair loss. The estrogen level is balanced in your body if adequate supplements of curcumin in provided to it.
Dosages
You can take turmeric as a part of the diet. You should look for turmeric extracts standardized at a high percentage of curcumin and take at a dose of 500 mg two or three times daily.
It is important to note that turmeric is absorbed poorly in the body. To take care of this issue, it is recommended to take turmeric with black pepper.
Piperine is present in black pepper which helps in absorption of turmeric. However, talk your doctor before starting any such medications.
Precautions
You need to be careful when you take curcumin supplements. Turmeric supplements should be taken with caution.
Overdosing, reactions or interference with other drugs can lead to complications.
Turmeric supplements should be avoided in the following conditions:
- Diabetes (if you are already having blood thinning agents)
- Pregnancy & nursing
- Gallbladder issues
- Bile passage obstructions
- Before to surgical procedures
Side Effects Of Turmeric For Menopause And Post Menopause
Long-term use of turmeric supplements can cause stomach upset. Hence, this may be harmful to those with ulcers or gallbladder problems.
Turmeric is used to stimulate the uterus and regulate periods. So, if you are pregnant or nursing then it should be avoided.
Turmeric may also have blood thinning qualities. That’s why see your doctor before taking it. Avoid taking it if you are about to have surgery.
There has been an issue over a chemical which is used to extract the curcumin from the turmeric that is known to cause all kinds of neurological issues.
That is why it is important that you have a thorough research of the manufacturing techniques used when processing curcumin.
Intake of too many turmeric capsules may increase body temperature. There is a possibility that high-dose turmeric ingestion may lead to high oxalic acid in the urine leading to kidney stones.
Also Read:
1. How Can Turmeric Help In Bipolar Disorder?
