Remifemin(R)/Black Cohosh Reduces Menopausal Symptoms And Protects Against Breast Cancer

Main Category: Menopause
Also Included In: Breast Cancer;  Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine;  Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 24 Apr 2007 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

Many women are choosing dietary supplements for the management of menopausal symptoms -- especially since serious health concerns have been raised about hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Remifemin(R) black cohosh extract, the most extensively researched, non-prescription menopausal therapy has been found to safely and effectively reduce hot flashes, night sweats and irritability. Now, a study published in the International Journal of Cancer: 120, 1523-1528 (2007), has shown that this proprietary herbal product lowers the risk of breast cancer by as much as 60%.

"The standardized Remifemin(R) black cohosh extract has antiestrogenic, antiproliferative and antioxidant properties," said Dr. Eckehard Liske, Director of the International Medical Department, Schaper & Bruemmer GmbH & Co KG, Salzgitter, Germany. "Rebbeck's research suggests that Remifemin(R) may help in reducing the risk of breast cancer."

The study, conducted at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, used a population-based case-control study in 3 counties of the Philadelphia metropolitan area consisting of 949 breast cancer cases and 1,524 controls. Researchers looked for correlations between dietary supplement usage and the incidence of breast cancer, comparing a range of products including, any phytoestrogen, any Isoflavone including Genistein, Red clover, soy medications, Black cohosh or Remifemin(R), Biestrogen, DHEA, Dong quai, Estrovin, Ginseng, Promensil, Rejuvex, steroid creams, and yam creams.

The results demonstrated that while 15 of the 17 supplements revealed no significant relationship, women who reported using black cohosh/Remifemin(R) had a 60% lower risk of developing breast cancer than the women who did not use these supplements. The study also demonstrated that no significant interaction between tamoxifen/raloxifene use and use of any herbal preparation or black cohosh use was observed.

"These findings complement a safety study published in Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society, 14:1 (2007), which showed that Remifemin(R) does not augment breast cancer risk factors as HRT does," explained Dr. Liske. "Hirschberg's research showed that Remifemin(R) does not promote endometrial thickening, increased breast density and breast cell proliferation, and is safe-particularly for women who should not take estrogen. In addition to HRT, many dietary supplements have failed to pass the safety test for breast cancer risk factors."

"Not all black cohosh is the same," concluded Dr. Liske. "Remifemin(R) is produced using a proprietary standardized extract (uniform dosage) of pure black cohosh root called RemiSure(TM) that yields a more complete spectrum of active compounds than other extraction methods. With 90 scientific papers and more than 15 published studies, Remifemin(R) demonstrates consistent positive results, unlike other black cohosh preparations. Remifemin(R) is safe and effective, and now we see that it also shows promise for preventing breast cancer."

For more information, visit http://www.remifemin.com. Remifemin(R) is a product of Enzymatic Therapy, Inc.

Enzymatic Therapy, Inc.
http://www.remifemin.com

• Additional
• References
• Citations