Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Research suggests that grapeseed extract may be an effective alternative treatment to help with menopausal symptoms.

Women going through menopause women undergo a number of physical and psychological changes. These include changes in blood vessel function, problems controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels, sexual dysfunction, cognitive difficulty, sleep disturbance, and psychological problems (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). While some of these changes are due to falling estrogen levels during menopause, the exact mechanisms underlying the symptoms are not fully understood (6).

Estrogen therapy remains the most common approach to addressing menopause (7). However, the results of the Women’s Health Initiative that revealed an increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease have made it a much less appealing option (8). Now a new study (9) suggests that grapeseed extract may be an effective alternative treatment to help with menopausal symptoms.

The study involved 91 women aged 40 to 60 who reported at least one symptom of menopause and who were never treated previously with estrogen, herbal medicine, or prescription medication for psychological symptoms related to menopause. They received either 100 milligrams (low-dose group = 32 women), 200 milligrams (high-dose = 30 women) or a placebo (29 women) per day for 8 weeks. Before and after the study, they completed questionnaires concerning their quality of life, hot flashes, sleep quality, and anxiety.

The following changes were observed after 8 weeks:

Physical Symptom ScoreHot Flash ScoreInsomniaAnxiety
Placebo15.1% decrease
(5.3 to 4.5)*
4.9% decrease
(0.41 to 0.39)*
9.6% improvement
(4.2 to 3.8)*
3.1% increase
(4.8 to 4.95)*
100-mg9% decrease
(5.6 to 5.1)*
8.4% decrease
(0.48 to 0.44)*
4.1% worsening
(0.36 to 0.375)*
13.8% decrease
(5.1 to 4.4)
200-mg18.6% decrease
(5.4 to 4.4)
47.6% decrease
(0.61 to 0.32)
26.9% improvement
(4.1 to 3.0)
19.5% decrease
(5.9 to 4.75)
p - value0.050.050.0010.001

*Statistical significance was not reached

Regarding the mechanism to explain how grapeseed extract elicited these healthful benefits, the researchers suggest the strong antioxidant activity (10, 11) but admit that “the exact mechanism remains to be elucidated.” They concluded that “grape seed proanthocyanidin extract is effective in improving the physical and psychological symptoms of menopause in middle-aged women.” Future larger studies are needed to raise the significance levels of some groups.

Source: Terauchi, Masakazu, et al. “Effects of grape seed proanthocyanidin extract on menopausal symptoms, body composition, and cardiovascular parameters in middle-aged women: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.” Menopause 21.9 (2014): 990-996.

© 2014 by The North American Menopause Society.

Posted December 30, 2016. 

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com

References:

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