Specifically, low estrogen can lead to poor memory and concentration, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, night sweats, and fertility struggles. There’s no doubt about it: The symptoms of perimenopause are no walk in the park. But there is good news! There’s so much we can do to smooth the transition into menopause and reduce symptoms. And interestingly, my recommendations for women going through perimenopause are similar to what I would tell a woman in her 20s experiencing PMS, or even a man with low sperm count or low testosterone. It all has to do with restoring balance to your body and supporting healthy levels of the most important hormones. It takes a full lifestyle approach to balance hormones, including dietary changes, exercise, and mindfulness-based stress reduction. On top of that, there are specific herbs and supplements that can help you get there. Here’s where to start: Tackling this issue means making big changes like learning to set healthy boundaries and leaving a toxic relationship or a work environment. It also requires daily practice, which is where meditation, yoga, deep breathing, resting, and allowing time for mental downtime come in. If you’re already combating chronic stress by adjusting your habits and lifestyle, there are a few supplements that I recommend to help your body deal with leftover stressors. Magnesium is the most soothing, calming mineral, and it’s thought that it’s one of the first nutrients depleted by stress.* Magnesium promotes relaxation for better sleep.* Severe deficiency can lead to anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and muscle cramps. Look for an amino acid chelated form like magnesium glycinate, which has superior absorption.* L-theanine is also an amino acid, often found in the leaves of green tea, that converts to GABA in the brain. This means it supports the central nervous system, promoting a relaxed state.* Identifying any specific deficiencies can help you create a targeted supplement routine. Even without running a test, however, it’s safe to assume you may need a few specific nutrients that many women are frequently deficient in. Omega-3s, zinc, selenium, magnesium, and vitamin D are common ones that are also critical for hormone health—so you’ll want to address deficiencies before you enter perimenopause. The good news is that taking a high-quality capsule multivitamin, omega-3-rich fish oil, and extra vitamin D may be just what you need to cover your bases. If the patient is reporting high amounts of stress, I may recommend adaptogenic herbs like Eleutherococcus senticosus, schisandra, and ashwagandha.* Rhodiola rosea can help support the nervous system, mood, mental clarity, work performance, and a healthy sleep cycle.* It can also help to support normal levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which are important for mental health.* If a woman has low estrogen symptoms or we find low estrogen upon testing, I often recommend estrogen-enhancing herbs like red clover, isoflavones, and black cohosh.* To support progesterone, I typically recommend vitex, passionflower, and paeonae.* To support testosterone, I recommend use of horny goatweed and tribulus.* This can get complicated, so it’s best to work with a trained herbalist or integrative or functional medicine practitioner who can test your hormone levels and make specific recommendations. Remember: Perimenopause doesn’t have to be as tough as many of us assume it’ll be. It’s all about knowing what you can do to help your body through this transition. By reducing stress, working to detox the body through healthier lifestyle choices, and correcting nutritional deficiencies, I have seen countless women overcome their perimenopausal symptoms.
