Menochron®

Description

Many plants contain small amounts of substances that exert effects similar to those of the hormones produced by the human body. For this reason, these compounds – which belong to the group known as secondary plant substances – are also referred to as “phytohormones”.

Isoflavones are the most prominent members of this group. Of the isoflavones, phytoestrogens are the most important, exerting effects similar to – but weaker than – those displayed by the sex hormones produced by the human body. The phytoestrogens owe their ability to exert such effects to their structural similarity to human sex hormones like estrogen, which allows them to bind to the body’s estrogen receptors, thus producing estrogenic or anti-estrogenic effects.   Another effect of phytoestrogens is to displace the body’s own (endogenous) estrogen from its transport proteins, which can in turn result in higher levels of unbound, and consequently active, endogenous sex hormones. For these reasons, phytoestrogens can be used to help maintain healthy hormone levels.

During menopause a decrease in endogenous estrogen frequently causes symptoms such as hot flashes and sweating – symptoms which have a negative effect on a woman’s general well-being. It has been demonstrated that phytoestrogens can help counteract these undesired effects.

Since the body’s own hormones and the secondary plant substances compete for the binding sites on the receptors in the body, phytohormones are able to weaken – as well as strengthen – the effect of the body’s own hormones. Whether their presence strengthens or weakens the hormonal effect in each individual case depends both on the binding specificity of the phytoestrogens to the particular receptor and the current concentration of endogenous hormones. Because the effects exerted by the body’s own hormones are substantially stronger than the effects of the plant substances, in the presence of extremely high concentrations of endogenous hormones, the plant substances tend to weaken the overall hormonal effect by displacing the more powerful hormones from the binding sites. In contrast, in the presence of very low concentrations of endogenous hormones, the phytoestrogens can display their full effect.

It is evident, therefore, that these secondary plant substances act to ‘fine tune’ hormonal balance in the body. Not only do these substances affect the hormones, they also have an impact on the body’s entire metabolism (i.e. the metabolism of fats, sugars and minerals) and help maintain the healthy growth of a broad range of cells and tissues. Furthermore, they protect against concerns caused by hormone-dependent metabolic changes, such as the more rapid breakdown of bone seen in older people. Plants like soy, red clover and cat’s whiskers (Orthosiphon aristatus) are especially rich in these secondary plant substances.

Besides isoflavones, Menochron® contains other valuable ingredients such as essential amino acids, saponins and phytosterols. Furthermore, valerian extract has been added to help the body get the rest and relaxation it needs. Insufficient sleep, a common concern during menopause, is often a direct result of hormonal imbalance, and deprives the body of the restful sleep it so urgently needs.