Menopause Fatigue: How to Cope with It and Make Your Life Better
The main parts of the body’s stress response system include:
* the hypothalamus (part of the brain)
* the pituitary gland known as the the master gland
* the adrenal gland (sits on top of the kidneys)
They make up the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, commonly known as the HPA axis. Whenever the body is exposed to any stressful situation, this system goes into operation to create actions to deal with the stressing exposure.
Each part releases chemicals specific to its function that act throughout the body. In the aging body, the adrenal gland’s output of DHEA and its sulfate form, DHEAS, decreases, leading to a condition called “adrenopause.”
The decreased output of these compounds in advancing age has been correlated with a wide range of health problems. These compounds are steroids and are involved in the maintenance of:
* musculoskeletal stability
* immune system function
* stability of the musculoskeletal system
The body converts DHEA to male and female sex hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. Levels of these hormones decline with age. DHEA supplements have been touted for years as an anti-aging and anti-fatigue remedy. Look at the health problems below and remember that most people who have these problems are also suffering from fatigue:
* type II diabetes
* loss of body fat and muscle
* complications for heart disease
* bone loss
* adrenal gland depletion
* AIDS/HIV
* anorexia nervosa
* kidney problems
Drugs and medications may deplete DHEA. This is why drugs act as a stressor and reduce our ability to cope. For aging women whose resistance has been reduced and whose body is losing its ability to function at full throttle, menopause fatigue is often the result.
The Dietary Supplement Act of 1994 allowed DHEA to come on the market as a nutritional supplement. Previously, it had been a prescription product. It’s not clear from studies of the use of the product that it provides any healthful benefits.
The body, as we’ve learned, makes DHEA. Supplement manufacture of it must happen in a lab. Both soybeans and the herb, wild yam, can supply the diosgenin needed to make DHEA. The use of wild yam directly will not lead to DHEA production because the body cannot convert the diosgenin in wild yam to DHEA.
An aging body loses its functionality in many different areas. A decline in DHEA production is a small part of the overall decline in whole-body physiological function. Rather than supplementation with one or two products, a more comprehensive program of health improvement should be followed. Some people take a ton of supplements but this approach is misguided.
In the alternative arena to modern medicine, supplementation with various nutrients and compounds has become the popular path to take, Yet, there are many other approaches that are effective at restoring and maintaining normal function for many years to come. Identifying and eliminating some of the causes of declining function is an effective approach.
A detoxification program might be helpful. Both foot baths and colonics are well represented in the commercial marketplace. I don’t recommend either of these as effective. Most targets for toxins are cellular enzymes and colon cleansing cannot get there.
Little known is the homeopathic approach to detox using remedies that are proven to help the body get rid of toxic compounds. This approach is not widely known, in fact, it’s hardly known at all. There is a small army of people working in these areas way under the radar.
By using a variety of cleansing and rebuilding products, there’s a good chance that you can help overcome menopause fatigue.
