A natural remedy used for several hundred years in both Korea and China has shown significant improvements in the quality of life for women dealing with the symptoms of pre-, peri, and post-menopause.
 
The herbal supplement EstroG-100, from Helios Corp, Sante Fe, NM, combines Phlomis umbrosa (Shanzhiside Methylester), Cynanchum wilfordii (Cinnamic Acid), and Angelica gigas Nakai (Nodakenin) to target the many symptoms associated with this transitional phase in a woman’s life.  
 
Usually occurring in women ages 45-72, menopause symptoms can range from hot flashes and night sweats, to vaginal dryness, insomnia, nervousness, feeling blue, dizziness, and fatigue.
 
EstroG-100’s herbal blend is hot water extracted and filtered to remove insoluble fiber, and dried to a fine powder for use in dietary supplements. The Ministry of Food and Safety (MFDS) in Korea registered these herbs as non-toxic food materials; the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) awarded EstroG-100 a letter of No Objection as a New Dietary Ingredient; and it received approval from Health Canada.
 
While many herbal supplements on the market can support menopausal symptoms, EstroG-100 claims results in just 7-10 days. It also offers a safe option for women, according to Helios, as it does not have an estrogenic effect nor does it affect weight, body mass index, or liver enzymes—all of which may be affected by hormone replacement therapy and other herbal supplements. Additionally, the company said that the herbal extracts in EstroG-100 support an inhibitory effect on the spread of breast cancer cells.
 
Commenting on the benefits of EstroG-100, Michael Jeffers, president of Helios Corp, the developer of the supplement said, “For so long women have feared menopause and suffered through it just to feel like they’re never quite thesame again—like they’ve lost their normal lives. All that’s been available to treat menopause symptoms are prescription medications with terrible side effects and herbal remedies that work at a snail’s pace or not at all. With EstroG-100, we finally have a solution that works, and the speed with which it works is unheard of.”
 
Relevant Research
Backing up Mr. Jeffers enthusiasm is sound scientific research. Helios unveiled the results of a third clinical trial for EstroG-100, which demonstrated the positive effects the supplement can have for women in various stages of menopause.
 
These new findings add to a sound body of research, which includes two previous human clinical trials. The first double-blind, placebo controlled trial using EstroG-100 showed six times better results in menopausal symptoms over the control group during a 12 month time frame, with no weight gain. The second human clinical trial found Estro-G100 to significantly improve night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, insomnia, depression, and joint discomfort in 61 menopausal participants over 3 months.
 
The newest trial, focused on pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal women, aimed to evaluate if oral supplementation of EstroG-100 could improve symptoms such as vasomotor, paresthesia (numbness or tingling), trouble sleeping, nervousness, melancholia, vertigo, fatigue, joint or muscle pain, headache, palpitation, formication (the sensation of crawling on the skin), and vaginal dryness.
 
Seventy women experiencing menopausal symptoms were randomized to receive oral supplementation of either EstroG-100 or a placebo. Participants had moderate to severe menopausal symptoms as identified by a questionnaire using the Kupperman Menopause Index (KMI). Over a study period from Nov. 11, 2013 to Aug. 14, 2014 participants had four follow up observations with a physician for a review of their health.
 
Following the trial period, women supplemented with EstroG-100 reported significant improvements in their KMI score. The EstroG-100 supplemented group started with a KMI of 34.18 ± 9.20 at baseline, which decreased to 22.41 ± 10.15 at week four, and 15.26 ± 1 at week 12. Comparatively, the placebo group went from 31.92 ± 8.23 at baseline, to 25.44 ± 9.70 at week four, and 22.69 ± 10.06 at week 12. In addition, there were statistically significant improvements for symptoms of vasomotor (hot flush or cold sweats), paresthesia, insomnia, nervousness, melancholia, vertigo, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and headaches. Significant improvement was also noted for formication, palpitation, and vaginal dryness.
 
Looking ahead, Helios CORP plans to test EstroG-100 alongside black cohosh for comparison. A previous study (Phytotherapy Research, 2012) found that EstroG-100 works six times faster than black cohosh. In addition it found that EstroG-100 had no estrogenic effect, nor did it affect weight, body mass index, or liver enzymes.
 
“Many women are still taking black cohosh as a daily treatment for menopause symptoms; however, a variety of published studies show black cohosh is linked to liver toxicity, among other health risks,” commented Mr. Jeffers. “EstroG-100 is new to the U.S. market, so we’re still educating consumers that there’s actually an effective and safe botanical treatment for menopause symptoms. We feel the best way to demonstrate that there is a better and safer choice than black cohosh is to launch a side-by-side study with EstroG-100.”