'I AM HOT, IRRITABLE AND FEELING LOW; WHAT ALTERNATIVES DO I HAVE BESIDES HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY?'

Women at the end of their reproductive age often complain of climacteric symptoms which can be quite debilitating at times. Physiological changes due to deficient oestrogen have received global attention in the search for an acceptable and safe measure to improve quality of life for women with these complaints. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) used to be the main treatment for menopausal symptoms. Lately there are concerns about its possible adverse effects of increasing risks of breast malignancy, heart diseases, etc. Complementary Alternative Medicine (CAM) plays a significant role in relieving these climacteric symptoms especially in women with contraindications to hormonal therapy and in those who are worried of its adverse effects. It is important for women to be aware of these CAM to provide them with options to improve their quality oflife. This paper explores other pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures as alternatives to hormone replacementtherapy (HRT), to assess how useful and reliable they are according to available scientific evidence.