The Study on Menopause Symptoms

The study included participation by more than thirty four thousand women living in the United States, who were between the ages of fifty and seventy nine years of age. The researchers followed the women for six years and kept records on the most frequently reported menopause symptoms they experienced, and the severity of those symptoms.

The most common symptoms included:

Hot flashes that are not the result of a medication or another condition

Fatigue that is not related to the activity of the individual

Trouble sleeping that is not related to stress in life, or other medical conditions

Emotional difficulties that include outburst of tears or anger over things that are trivial

The women were divided into two groups. One half of the women were given daily vitamin D supplements and daily calcium supplements, and the other half of the women tool placebo pills.

The results

Both groups of women complained of the same number of menopausal symptoms. On average this was about six symptoms. The signs and symptoms of menopause did not seem to be affected by the increase in the calcium or vitamin D of the women.

Menopause

Menopause is the time of life when menstruation ceases. A woman is said to have completed their menopause phase when they have ceased to have a menstrual cycle for a period of at least twelve months. During and after menopause, the amount of certain hormones within the body are changed so that menstruation ceases to happen. These hormonal changes bring about many physical ramifications other than just the stopping of the periods.

Before menopause complete a woman will begin to have irregular periods, and missed periods that last for several months at a time. It is wise to speak to your doctor and determine if missed periods are being caused by the onset of menopause or by something else.

Weight Gain

Weight gain is often associated with menopause, but the weight gain is usually a side effect of the fatigue the women experience. The fatigue causes the women to start to be less active, and this causes them to gain weight unless they make dietary changes to compensate for the reduction in physical activity.

What this means for women

Women should seek the advice of their doctors when they begin to experience any of the signs of menopause. Most menopausal signs can also be symptoms of other conditions so your doctor may need you to have some blood work done, or some more testing. You can help your doctor to diagnose menopause by keeping a journal of the symptoms you experience, the time of the symptoms, and anything else that might be happening in your life.

During and after menopause your doctor may be able to prescribe medications to help you adjust to the new hormone levels in your body, or they may be able to suggest diet changes that will help you to adjust to these new hormone levels.