Menopause is a period of change in every woman’s life. For some it is a fairly smooth process, but for others it manifests itself in weight gain, mood changes and hot flashes. Since menopause is a natural phase of life, many women do not want to take synthetic drugs to deal with menopause symptoms. Instead, they prefer to look for solutions in natural medicine such as herbal supplements, acupuncture and breathing exercises. If you are part of this group, then CBD is another option to consider. In this article, we take a look at what menopause does to your body and how CBD can help.
What happens during menopause?
All women are born with a certain number of eggs that their ovaries can produce. From puberty onwards, they release an average of one egg per month. Around the age of 45 to 55, the egg supply runs out. This is when menopause occurs. During this time, women stop menstruating. This can last for several years, when menstruation becomes increasingly irregular. But this is far from the most striking symptom of menopause. Women often experience hot flashes and night sweats that let them know they are entering the menopausal phase. It also often occurs:
- Gaining weight
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Dry skin and dry eyes
- Vaginal dryness
- Hair loss
- Hair growth or hirsutism
- Mood changes
- Depression and anxiety
- Mozková mlha Brain fog
- Reduced appetite for sex
The symptoms of menopause are a little different for every woman. They come from rapidly fluctuating hormone levels. And as many women already realize, our hormone levels have a huge impact on how we feel in our bodies and minds.
How long does menopause last?
Menopause is not a clear-cut period. For most women, menopausal symptoms such as those described above begin to appear about 4 to 5 years before their last menstrual period. This is known as perimenopause.
Strictly speaking, menopause is the first 12 consecutive months of your adult life when you don’t have any menstrual periods. But this period is not very meaningful. For most women, menopausal symptoms become apparent years before their actual menopause and can continue for years afterward until hormone levels stabilize. Thus, the entire menopausal period averages 7 to 8 years.
What are the first signs of menopause?
The first sign of menopause is missing a few periods here and there or finding that menstruation is less frequent. If you have a regular menstrual cycle and keep track of it, this is a warning sign that is very easy to notice. For other women who already have irregular periods, it may be more difficult to notice. But the next most common first sign of menopause would be hard to miss: night sweats and hot flashes. This happens because your hormones are responsible for controlling your body temperature. When your hormone levels start to change rapidly, you’ll often feel too hot until the levels stabilize again.
What can help with the symptoms of menopause?
Menopause is a normal stage of life and many doctors will advise you to just wait it out. But if symptoms such as hot flushes, vaginal dryness or mood changes are causing you great difficulty, there are a few things you can do to improve them;
For example, topical medications can help prevent and treat hair loss or hair growth. They can also be used to rehydrate the skin, especially if you suffer from vaginal dryness. If your symptoms are really interfering with your life, then you may also consider taking hormone supplements, which can help with hot flashes and other similar symptoms. Finally, psychiatric medications such as SSRIs and sleeping pills can help you deal with the psychological symptoms of menopause, including depression, anxiety and insomnia.Menopause is a normal stage of life and many doctors will advise you to just wait it out. But if symptoms such as hot flushes, vaginal dryness or mood changes are causing you great difficulty, there are a few things you can do to improve them.
But as with most other hormonal problems, maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is often the most important thing you can do. During menopause, your hormonal changes can cause weight gain. This can be worrying and also cause a number of complications in the future. At this stage in your life, it is important to start cutting back on portions. Postmenopausal women don’t need nearly as many calories as women of reproductive age, and eating less is an easy way to feel lighter and more energetic. Try to include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, as well as plenty of sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help balance your hormones. Phytoestrogens such as soy, flaxseed and wheat germ can also help boost estrogen levels.
Supplementing with vitamin E, vitamin D and calcium can also help manage some of your symptoms. For example, they can help balance your mood, hydrate your skin and keep your bones healthy.
Can CBD help you during menopause?
Yes, women who suffer from painful menopause symptoms can get a lot of benefits from CBD. Without necessarily balancing hormone levels, CBD can provide relief from symptoms such as:
- Hot flashes;
- Gaining weight
- Osteoporosis
- Insomnia
- Depression and mood changes
What is CBD and how does it work?
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CBD is a molecule also known as cannabidiol. It is found in the cannabis plant along with dozens of other cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are molecular compounds that play a very important role in our bodies. They carry messages and form part of the endocannabinoid system. The endocannabinoid system is a biological system that can regulate things like mood, appetite, pain and inflammation in the body. When the endocannabinoid system is working properly, it keeps us healthy and energetic. But when something goes wrong, it can cause a lot of painful symptoms. Two things can affect our endocannabinoid system: endocannabinoids and phytocannabinoids. Endocannabinoids are cannabinoid compounds that our bodies naturally produce. Phytocannabinoids are cannabinoid compounds produced by plants (for example, CBD is a phytocannabinoid).
When CBD is consumed, it binds to the CB1 and CB2 receptors of the endocannabinoid system. The result is a strengthening of the entire system, resulting in less pain, inflammation, depression, anxiety, blood pressure… and the list goes on.
Many of the benefits of CBD can be very helpful for women going through menopause. Here’s how it affects five different symptoms of menopause.
Hot flashes
Hot flashes are some of the most unpleasant symptoms of menopause and some of the most common. Up to three-quarters of all menopausal women experience them regularly. The solution? There are a few things you can do to prevent them naturally. For example, lowering the temperature in your bedroom at night, using a fan and wearing light clothing. You may want to avoid certain triggers such as coffee, cigarettes and spicy foods. CBD can also help with hot flashes because it has a direct effect on your brain chemistry. Studies have found that antidepressants can alleviate hot flashes by regulating imbalances in the brain. As a natural antidepressant, CBD can provide a good alternative to these psychiatric drugs.
Gaining weight
Almost every woman gains weight during menopause. In fact, even some women who have been thin all their lives have found that hormonal changes during menopause can cause them to get fat. This happens because the loss of estrogen during menopause means that your body now burns fewer calories. The best solution for gaining weight during menopause is to simply eat less because your body can now function with fewer nutrients. Staying active and exercising a few times a week can also make a big difference and prevent you from gaining too much weight. Studies on the benefits of CBD for weight loss are still in the early stages – but they are very promising. For example, this 2016 study showed that CBD could affect the way your cells work so they start burning more fat faster. A 2008 study also showed that the endocannabinoid system plays a key role in energy metabolism and that endocannabinoids help regulate our appetite and the way our bodies use energy.
Osteoporosis
One of the most dangerous consequences of menopause is that it often leads to a loss of bone density. After the loss of menstruation, many women find that their bones are more fragile. This puts them at greater risk of fractures and accidents that can have serious consequences. To prevent osteoporosis, it is important for menopausal women to include sources of minerals such as calcium in their diet. Resistance training can also increase your bone density, so now may be a good time to lift a few weights or go on an exercise treadmill;
And because the endocannabinoid system plays such an important role in bone production, supplementation with cannabinoids like CBD can also help. A 2015 study even found that CBD could help strengthen bones and heal fractures faster by stimulating certain enzymes.
Insomniа
Hormones play a key role in helping us get enough restorative sleep each night. During menopause, your hormones can cause insomnia by increasing anxiety levels or causing night sweats. At a time when your body needs rest more than ever, adjusting your sleep schedule should be a priority. Supplements like melatonin can help you sleep better, even through night sweats or anxious periods. Simple changes like sleeping with a light blanket can also make you more comfortable.
If that’s not enough, CBD supplementation can also be a great way to regain sleep. CBD has been shown to improve sleep patterns in people who suffer from insomnia, helping them fall asleep more easily and get more hours of restorative sleep. And because it also naturally reduces anxiety, it’s a supplement you can take if your worries are preventing you from falling asleep. To learn more about how CBD can help you with sleep, you can read our in-depth article on CBD and sleep disorders here.
Depression and mood changes
Finally, many women find that hormonal changes during menopause cause them to feel depressed, anxious or irritable. This is not surprising. After all, hormonal health is key in treating many mental illnesses, especially in women. Before you start taking psychiatric medications like an antidepressant for your mental health issues, you may want to give CBD a chance. Numerous studies have shown that it can improve your mood, relieve anxiety, and help you feel more balanced. For example, this 2018 review of studies (link to study) states that CBD may be useful in addressing conditions as diverse as depression, anxiety, social phobia, sleep disorders, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder.
How much CBD should I take during menopause?
The question of dose is always difficult to answer. CBD affects everyone a little differently. We all have different needs depending on our height, weight, age and health. It is advisable to start at the minimum dose and increase it until you feel it is helping you;
Are there any contraindications?
As a substance, CBD is very safe and has very few side effects. That being said, it can interact with other drugs. Therefore, if you are currently taking any medication to treat a chronic or acute medical condition, we recommend that you consult your doctor before taking CBD;
To take CBD during menopause or not?
Many women consider hormonal changes during menopause to be a problem. As well as causing physical symptoms such as hot flushes, dry skin and weak bones, menopause can also plunge you into depression or anxiety, or even prevent you from sleeping properly. As a molecule with a holistic effect on your entire body, CBD can help with many of these issues: it has the potential to reduce hot flashes, help you lose weight, protect your bones, help you sleep, and improve your mood. We think those are reasons enough to give it a try.
