Preventing Menopausal Mood Swings and Depression
Mental health problems during the menopausal phase are exceedingly common. The most widespread are depression, anxiety, insomnia and worsening memory. In one survey, 45 per cent of women experienced minor depressive symptoms during the menopause, while 27 per cent complained of nervousness or irritability.
The same nutrients — B6, zinc, magnesium and essential fats — all greatly help to reduce menopausal symptoms and allow the body to better adapt to changing hormonal levels. Serotonin deficiency is also very common in menopausal women, who often benefit greatly from additional tryptophan or 5-HTP.
Menopausal depression and worsening mental acuity can occur due to oestrogen and progesterone deficiency. According to John Lee, a doctor from California who pioneered research using ‘natural’ progesterone, mood, mental clarity and concentration frequently improve with the use of transdermal progesterone skin creams. Most conventional HRT includes synthetic progestins, sometimes called progestogens. These not only don’t work so well, they’ve been linked to increasing risk of breast cancer.”
The good thing about natural progesterone is that the body can also make oestrogen from it. However, that being said, some women find greater relief with both oestrogen and natural progesterone therapy. The combination of the two prevents the cancer risks associated with unopposed oestrogen.
The Andropause and Depression in Men
The effects of testosterone deficiency are not unlike the effects of oestrogen and progesterone deficiency. Around a third of men in the 40 to 69 age group complain of a range of symptoms that commonly include, in order of importance, loss of libido, erectile dysfunction (inability to get or maintain an erection), depression and worsening memory and concentration. These are the classic symptoms of the andropause.
Depression in men is harder to diagnose since men tend to get angry rather than sad. They are also more likely to commit suicide. The andropause can be helped by supplementing the hormone testosterone.
If the symptoms above do sound like you, it is well worth having your testosterone levels measured. If low, meaning below 12 nmol/l, then you may benefit from testosterone replacement therapy. However, symptoms are as important, if not more so, than testosterone levels in the blood. This is because most testosterone in the blood is not ‘free, but bound and unavailable. The ‘free’ testosterone is much harder to measure. Salivary testosterone levels may be a better indicator, backed up by symptoms. You can both test your symptoms and get a salivary testosterone test by visiting www.andropause.com.
If you do have low testosterone, supplementing extra can really help.
From a nutritional point of view, make sure you are eating adequate protein and slow-releasing carbohydrates. Essential fats are required for healthy sperm and prostate function, antioxidant nutrients protect testosterone from being destroyed and zinc helps everything to do with male sexual health and hormonal balance. So make sure you are getting enough of all these nutrients.
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