A growing number of women are battling the symptoms of menopause-hot flashes, heart palpitations, sleep disturbances, depression and more-the natural way. These women are choosing a traditional herb rather than costly and potentially dangerous hormone replacement therapy (HRT), new studies show.

Most women, as they age, suffer some short-term symptoms of menopause. Long-term effects include increased risk of heart disease and loss of bone mass, which can lead to fractures. HRT using combinations of estrogen and progesterone, the standard medical treatment for menopause for more than 40 years, was designed to help alleviate the short and long-term effects of menopause. However, recent government studies on HRT suggest that increased risks of heart disease, breast cancer and other problems may outweigh the intended benefits.

Many women have turned to natural herbs and other dietary supplements to treat the symptoms of menopause without the potential risks of synthetic hormones, reports the American Botanical Council, a non-profit research and educational organization. One of the most popular herbs is black cohosh root, a botanical remedy of Native Americans and early colonists. Black cohosh's clinically confirmed benefits for women have received much medical attention in Europe; nine out of ten clinical studies performed over the past 20 years have demonstrated the positive effects of black cohosh for relieving menopausal symptoms.

Black cohosh is available in a number of different forms, including tablet or liquid extract.

Consumers and health professionals can find more information about the clinically documented benefits of black cohosh from the American Botanical Council, a nonprofit research and education organization at www.herbalgram.org.

From Healthy.net