Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones, a gynecologist associated with the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City made the following points in a presentation during an Association of Reproductive Health Professionals meeting in Chicago, Illinois:

• "Natural estrogens, which are marketed by health-food stores, have no established safety and efficacy studies. We don’t even know what’s in there."
• Yam extract, sarsaparilla, red clover, licorice, don quai and vitex are no more effective than placebo.
• Soy isoflavones can ease menopausal symptoms and a group of women who consumed 60 gm of isolated soy protein a day reported a 45% reduction in hot flashes in a randomized placebo controlled study.
• In comparison traditional estrogen therapy reduce flushing by 90%.
• Other natural therapies Dr. Parker endorses include kava, for anxiety; St. John’s Wort for mild depression; and ginko biloba for mood and memory.
• "Lifestyle changes can make a huge difference." Switching to a vegetarian diet, reducing stress and increasing exercise can have a more powerful effect than anything on the pharmacy shelf.

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