Almost half a million Australian women aged between 40 and 65 years could be using complementary and alternative medicines for the treatment of menopausal symptoms, despite evidence they can be ineffective and possibly dangerous, say the authors of research published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Professor Susan Davis, Dr Roisin Worsley and fellow researchers from Monash University in Melbourne found that 13% of 2020 women aged 40-65 years surveyed between October 2013 and March 2014 had used at least one complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the treatment of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) of menopause, such as hot flushes and night sweats, in the past month.
"Applying our findings to the 3.7 million Australian women aged 40-65 years would mean that 490 000 women had used CAMs for VMS in the past month, and 303 000 would have consulted a CAM practitioner for menopausal symptoms in the past year", the researchers wrote.
"Phytoestrogens, the most commonly used CAMs for VMS, have not been shown to be effective for treating VMS, either as food supplements or as concentrated tablets.
"Evening primrose oil, black cohosh and ginseng, the other commonly used CAMs for VMS, overall appear to be no more effective than placebo.
"Given the lack of evidence regarding benefit of CAMs for alleviating VMS, as well as the potential adverse effects and their high cost, the continuing use of these CAMs for this purpose cannot be supported."
The researchers were disturbed that evidence showed that CAM use was supported by health practitioners, with a recent national survey finding that about a third of Australian general practitioners self-identified as practising complementary therapy.
"It is a cause for concern that a sizeable proportion of Australian practitioners are recommending ineffective therapies", they wrote.
"Health care providers need to actively guide women in the management of VMS and other menopausal symptoms."