As women approach perimenopause and menopause, they often encounter a range of frustrating symptoms: hot flashes, night sweats, irritability, anxiety, heart palpitations, and more. While some symptoms can be managed with lifestyle changes, there are powerful, natural remedies that can provide relief—and one group of remedies stands out in particular: adaptogens.
You may have heard of popular adaptogens like ginseng and ashwagandha, but did you know that certain adaptogens work especially well for perimenopause and menopause? These lesser-known herbs can help soothe hot flashes, alleviate irritability, calm heart palpitations, and even support healthy blood sugar levels to aid in weight management. In this post, we’ll dive into the benefits of these adaptogens and explore how they can provide support during this transition.
What Are Adaptogens?
Before we dive into the specifics of the adaptogens most beneficial for menopause and perimenopause, let’s define what adaptogens are and how they work. Adaptogens are a group of herbs, plants, and fungi that help the body adapt to stress, support the adrenal system, and promote balance and resilience in the body.
The beauty of adaptogens lies in their flexibility. They don’t force the body to do anything it wouldn’t already be doing. Instead, they assist the body in finding equilibrium. For example, if cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, is too high, adaptogens will encourage it to decrease; if cortisol is too low, they’ll help boost it. This balancing act extends to other systems in the body, including the cardiovascular, endocrine, and nervous systems, without causing harmful side effects.
However, not all herbs are adaptogens. For a plant or fungus to be considered an adaptogen, it must meet three key criteria:
- Non-toxicity: Adaptogens don’t alter normal body functions in a harmful way.
- Non-specificity: They can influence various systems in the body, making them versatile helpers for different issues.
- Normalizing function: Adaptogens bring systems back to balance, whether they need to increase or decrease a certain function, like hormone levels.
Adaptogens for Perimenopause and Menopause
For women navigating the challenges of perimenopause and menopause, certain adaptogens have proven to be particularly effective in easing symptoms and restoring balance. Let’s explore three potent adaptogens that can help during this time of transition: Rehmannia, Schisandra, and Jujube.
1. Rehmannia (Chinese Foxglove Root)
Rehmannia is the chief adaptogen in this powerful blend, and it has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine, where it was first recorded in 1638. This plant has an impressive ability to support multiple systems in the body, making it especially useful for managing menopause and perimenopause symptoms.
Key Benefits of Rehmannia:
- Anti-inflammatory: Rehmannia helps counterbalance estrogen dominance, a common issue during perimenopause that can lead to symptoms like heavy periods, weight gain, and brain fog. By reducing inflammation, it can help mitigate these issues.
- Cardiovascular support: It has anti-hypertensive properties, meaning it helps lower high blood pressure, which is a concern for many women during menopause. Rehmannia also supports heart health and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Neuroprotective: As estrogen levels decrease during menopause, brain function can decline. Rehmannia helps protect brain cells, supporting cognitive health and memory.
- Calms anxiety: Rehmannia acts as a mild sedative, helping to calm feelings of anxiety, worry, and stress—without causing drowsiness.
2. Schisandra (Five-Flavor Fruit)
Schisandra is known for its energizing effects, making it an ideal herb for those dealing with fatigue and brain fog during menopause. It works by stimulating the central nervous system, which boosts mental clarity, learning, and memory. This is particularly important for women in perimenopause and menopause, as many report symptoms of memory loss and difficulty concentrating.
Key Benefits of Schisandra:
- Supports cognitive function: Schisandra has been shown to improve learning, memory, and mental clarity, making it an excellent choice for women who struggle with brain fog and memory issues during menopause.
- Reduces stress: Schisandra helps regulate cortisol production, lowering the body’s stress response and reducing the physical and mental impact of stress. It makes the body less reactive to stress, which can help reduce anxiety and improve sleep quality.
- Helps with adrenal function: Schisandra strengthens the adrenal system, supporting the body’s ability to cope with the physical demands of menopause and prevent burnout.
3. Jujube (Chinese Date)
Jujube is a powerful adaptogen that can significantly improve sleep quality and cognitive function. It works through the neurotransmitters in the brain to promote relaxation, calm racing thoughts, and improve focus—essential for those struggling with anxiety, irritability, and sleep disturbances during menopause.
Key Benefits of Jujube:
- Promotes better sleep: Jujube has a calming effect on the brain, boosting GABA, a neurotransmitter that helps you relax and sleep better. It also inhibits glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter, preventing overstimulation in the brain.
- Cognitive support: By calming the hippocampus (the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning), Jujube helps prevent cognitive decline and supports overall brain health, which is crucial for women going through menopause.
- Protects the brain: Given the growing research around Alzheimer’s disease and menopause, particularly the finding that key biomarkers of the disease can change years before symptoms appear, protecting the brain during this time is crucial. Jujube provides neuroprotective benefits to support brain function as estrogen levels decline.
Why These Adaptogens Work So Well Together
The combination of Rehmannia, Schisandra, and Jujube creates a synergistic effect that targets several common menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, anxiety, heart palpitations, insomnia, and cognitive decline.
What makes these herbs even more effective is their adaptability. Each one supports the body’s natural processes, adjusting its effects based on what the body needs. Whether it’s lowering cortisol levels, improving memory, or easing anxiety, these adaptogens provide a gentle yet powerful way to support overall wellness during menopause.
The Importance of Lifestyle Changes
While adaptogens can provide relief, it’s essential to remember that they are not a magic cure-all. For optimal results, they should be used in conjunction with healthy lifestyle choices. If your diet consists of processed foods, sugary snacks, and little to no exercise, adaptogens alone won’t be enough to restore balance and alleviate your symptoms.
Instead, focus on making broader changes to your lifestyle, such as:
- Eating a nutrient-dense diet rich in vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats
- Exercising regularly to maintain a healthy weight and manage stress
- Practicing good sleep hygiene and aiming for 7-9 hours of restful sleep each night
- Reducing stress through mindful practices such as prayer, practicing gratitude, spending time in nature, etc
Adaptogens are most effective when they are part of a holistic approach to health.
Long-Term Benefits of Adaptogens
One of the great things about adaptogens is that their benefits continue to build over time. While you may notice improvements relatively quickly, it can take up to six months of regular use to experience the full range of health benefits. The beauty of adaptogens lies in their long-term support for your body’s ability to adapt to stress, regulate hormones, and maintain overall balance.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in trying these adaptogens, look for high-quality supplements that combine Rehmannia, Schisandra, and Jujube. Join my Fullscript dispensary for 20% off medical grade supplements! Avoid ordering supplements from places like Amazon which have a high rate of counterfeit products.
Menopause and perimenopause can be miserable at times, but the good news is that natural remedies like adaptogens can provide much-needed support. Remember, while adaptogens are an excellent tool for managing menopausal symptoms, they should be part of a comprehensive approach that includes proper diet, exercise, and stress management.
Check out my other posts that can help with perimenopause and menopause:
Overcoming Insomnia: Tips for Amazing Sleep
Why you can’t lose weight after Menopause
Disclaimer
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This information is for educational purposes only, please consult with your medical provider before implementing anything new into your daily regimen.