Menopause has always been linked with cognitive decline and poor memory. It has been observed that several women resort to hormone therapy for memory to deal with the condition. But how effective and safe are such conventional interventions? Fortunately, there are proven natural solutions for declining memory in menopause. The best part about natural methods is that they are effective, affordable and above all, safe on your health. Understanding more about the underlying factors contributing to cognitive impairment, and its link with menopause, proves to be helpful in effectively dealing with the condition.
Menstruation is the symbol of fertility in women. The sex hormone estrogen plays a crucial role in the menstrual cycle and memory functioning. Estrogen regulates your menstrual cycle whereas progesterone prepares your body for pregnancy. There are two modes of the effect of estrogen on a woman’s body. One is normal monthly fluctuations of estrogen levels and the other is during menopause. Therefore, when linking menopause with cognitive impairment, it is important to differentiate post-menopause from perimenopause.
During each monthly menstrual cycle, the body undergoes certain hormonal changes. With aging, women undergo perimenopause before ending up with menopause. Perimenopause starts several years prior to menopause. Women experience perimenopause around the forties, but it can also start earlier in the thirties. Fatigue, mood swings, breast tenderness, low sex drive, trouble sleeping, urinary urgency, and vaginal dryness are some of the symptoms of perimenopause. During this phase the level of estrogen secretion by ovaries gradually starts to decline, resulting in irregular periods. Perimenopause lasts until menopause, the point when your ovaries cease releasing eggs and the menstruation cycle stops completely. In the last one to two years of perimenopause, secretion of estrogen by ovaries starts dropping drastically. At this stage, several women experience menopause symptoms.
Some of the symptoms associated with menopause include:
The majority of women in menopause experience irritability, declining memory, sleeplessness, night sweats, hot flashes, and heart palpitations. In each woman, the severity of the symptoms may vary. While for many women these symptoms subside gradually there are some of them who resort to hormone therapy or other methods to minimize cognitive decline, and other unpleasant symptoms.
Female sex hormone estrogen and male sex hormone testosterone are responsible for regulating memory, cognitive function and overall health. In women, the sex hormone estrogen is produced in the ovaries, breasts, placenta, fat cells, liver, hypothalamus and adrenals. Estrogen level is low in men whereas testosterone level is low in females. A healthy balance of estrogen and testosterone is essential for overall well- being.
Here is how sex hormones influence your cognitive health:
Your sex hormones have neuroprotective action. With aging and natural or surgical menopause, the sex hormones gradually decline which can lead to symptoms of neuroinflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, cognitive impairment, synaptic decline, and other age-related disorders. A decrease in sex hormones can lead to accelerated aging hypometabolism, a condition often observed in prodromal Alzheimer’s disease and menopausal women.
Sex hormones, especially estrogen have potent antioxidant properties. They play a crucial role in maintaining non-reproductive and reproductive functions. The effect of estrogen on the brain is a complex subject. Extensive research on menopausal women has linked low estrogen levels with memory decline. Estrogen stimulates the growth of nerve cells in the hippocampus thus strengthening connections between the nerve cells, also improving memory. In the absence of estrogen, the nerve connections might not as efficiently store and retrieve certain information. With menopause estrogen levels gradually reduce, therefore the risk of memory loss is increased. In such cases hormone therapy for memory is known to help restore the declining sex hormones.
Menopause in mid-life has been linked to increased inflammation and elevated risk of Alzheimer’s disease. There are several theories on menopause affecting cognition and whether hormone therapy could help fight the cognitive decline in older women. The results suggest a link even after considering factors such as education, age, and smoking. In women with surgical menopause, hormone therapy for memory was found to significantly impede cognitive decline.
Stress produces negative effects on various aspects of your health including hormone secretion, menstrual cycle, and memory functioning. Constant stress has a direct effect on the secretion of sex hormones.
The NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response System is your body’s natural defense mechanism. It is an intricate network of various organs and six circuits, including the Hormonal Circuit, which function in a close unison for dealing with stress. A pair of walnut-shaped adrenal glands present above your kidneys are also a part of the stress response system.
When you frequently experience extreme stress along with symptoms such as brain fog, anxiety, insomnia, low energy level, difficulty concentrating, difficulty in waking up, stubborn weight gain, constipation and craving for salty and fatty foods, then you could be having Adrenal Fatigue (AF). Imbalance in cortisol levels affects your body’s natural ability to deal with stress. It can cause dysfunction of the Hormonal Circuit and also raise the chances of adrenal fatigue.
The Hormonal Circuit of the NEM system is comprised of the ovaries/testes, adrenal glands, and thyroid gland. This circuit is responsible for the regulation of stress hormones (including cortisol), thyroid function and body temperature. Imbalance in the Hormonal Circuit can lead to reduced libido, infertility, miscarriage, fatigue, hair loss, weight gain, and sluggish thyroid. With the onset of perimenopause and menopause, the secretion of progesterone and estrogen by the ovaries gradually reduces. This can cause an imbalance of the Hormonal Circuit.
Here are some factors that can exert stress on your body and disrupt Hormonal Circuit function:
Furthermore, fluctuation in estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause also lead to Hormonal Circuit imbalance.
Studies reveal that in comparison to people without any cognitive issues, people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia have a lower level of the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone. Hormone therapy for memory enhancement focuses on restoring the normal level of the sex hormones in your body. Evidence shows that time, duration and age are critical factors in the therapy. In addition, it should be noted that both estrogen and testosterone are essential for your healthy cognitive functioning. Therefore, while undergoing hormone therapy for memory, both estrogen and testosterone are to be taken into consideration.
Here are some of the studies showing the influence of sex hormones on cognition:
Several earlier studies on hormone therapy for memory show that the use of estrogen in postmenopausal women could help protect the memory’s short-term cognitive region from the effects of stress. However, recent studies suggest that hormone therapy could not help improve memory. Furthermore, evidence shows that the use of progesterone and estrogen could increase the risk of blood clots, heart disease, breast cancer, and stroke. Extensive studies thus suggest that in postmenopausal women, hormone therapy for memory produces an inconsistent result.
Varying estrogen level in your body affects your brain health. According to experts, a considerable drop in estrogen levels can lead to cognitive issues. Scientists are still investigating if menopause can actually be a risk factor for developing cognitive problems including dementia, and researchers are trying to figure out the link between hormone levels and cognitive health. A study suggests that late menopause delayed the decline of verbal memory.
Irrespective of the age when menopause occurs, evidence suggests that hormone therapy for memory might help preserve the regions of the brain responsible for thinking and memory, and reduce the buildup of beta-amyloid plaque, an abnormal protein related to Alzheimer’s disease.
Another study on hormone therapy for memory involved 75 healthy women, with an average of 53 who were between five months to three years postmenopause. The women were divided into three groups. During the study, 20 women received equine estrogen made from horse hormones, via pills, whereas the other 22 women received estradiol estrogen via skin patch. The remaining 33 women received placebo of either pills or patches. The group that received estrogen were also given female hormone progesterone for the first twelve days of each month.
The women’s memory and thinking were tested at the beginning of the study, then at a year and a half, at three years, at four years around the conclusion of the study, and then three years later. The women’s brain volume and brain lesions were also measured through MRI. At the end of the study, it was found that the group which received skin patches maintained brain volume in regions related to thinking, memory, reasoning, and planning throughout the seven years of research. The group also had less amyloid buildup in their brain!
In comparison to the placebo group, women who took pills experienced an increase in brain volume, but the effect soon stopped when pills were no longer given after four years. The difference between pills and patch show that estradiol via the patch can leave a long-term effect on your brain health. No considerable variation was observed in memory and thinking tests between women on placebos and hormones. Scientists believe that more research is required to determine the exact biological reasons for brain changes during menopausal hormone therapy for memory.
Insulin plays two crucial functions in the brain. It controls food intake and regulates cognitive function, particularly memory. Insulin in the central nervous system affects body energy stores, feeding behavior, metabolism of the liver and adipose tissue, as well as various aspects of cognition and memory. Insulin also influences the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Brain insulin resistance is the inability of brain cells to respond to insulin resulting in impairments of metabolic, synaptic and immune response functions. Insulin resistance in the brain can lead to neurodegenerative disorders, further damaging cognitive function, and causing dementia and metabolic imbalances.
Low estrogen levels, such as those found during menopause, have been linked to cognitive impairment. Some menopausal women who undergo hormone therapy for memory can restore the natural balance of sex hormones. However, studies show that the therapy provides inconsistent results and can lead to various side effects. There are proven natural methods which can help your body deal with hormonal imbalance in menopause, and boost cognitive health
Here are natural methods to reduce cognitive decline in menopause:
What you eat has a direct impact on your hormones and body. Eating healthy is crucial to ensure the effective functioning of your hormones. Processed foods, unhealthy fats, and refined carbohydrates can increase your estrogen levels, giving rise to symptoms of menopause. Various health-degrading ingredients such as chemical additives, trans fat, sugar and GE ingredients found in processed foods can trigger inflammation within the body, and reduce the level of other critical hormones. A high calorie and high fat diet can initiate endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in the hypothalamus which can further lead to leptin and insulin resistance. This can raise the chances of obesity and diabetes mellitus.
Dietary modification can help decrease insulin resistance. Consider having foods high in fiber and protein. Make sure to have fermented foods, probiotics, and prebiotics that help promote gut health. Spices, herbs, and foods rich in vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and chromium help to increase your body’s responsiveness to insulin at the cellular level.
As the adrenal glands are the only source of testosterone in women and the only source of progesterone and estrogen for postmenopausal women, maintaining healthy adrenals can ensure hormone balance within the body. Having a nutrient-packed adrenal fatigue diet boosts adrenal function and significantly helps support adrenal health!
In comparison to hormone therapy for memory, exercise is a safe and effective solution to slow down cognitive impairment in menopause. Regular exercise can boost your hypothalamic insulin sensitivity and brain health. This significantly helps reduce the risk of dementia, type-2 diabetes, and obesity. Further, regular workout encourages the growth of brain nerve cells and strengthens the neural connections. Studies have linked regular workout with improved blood circulation in the brain that helps boost cognitive function. Thus exercising regularly is a safe and effective solution to minimize the effect of memory decline in menopause.
Adrenal restorative exercise is a great way to connect your mind and body. It enhances blood flow to the adrenal glands for effective secretion of crucial adrenal hormones. Adrenal restorative exercise promotes deep relaxation and restores nervous system homeostasis.
Practicing yoga is also known to enhance memory by increasing the volume of gray matter in your brain. Yoga has neuroprotective properties which protect your brain’s gray matter from degeneration. Brain scans show that practicing yoga produces a positive effect on your brain. During yoga, the coordination between your mind, body and soul helps in balancing all the circuits of the NEM system, including the Hormonal Circuit and Neuroaffective Circuit.
Constant stress causes an imbalance of your stress hormone cortisol. This, in turn, can affect your entire NEM system and disrupt the Hormonal Circuit. High cortisol levels alter the pattern of your brain connectome, therefore affecting information processing ability and cognitive function. Excessive stress overburdens your adrenals, affecting the secretion of adrenal hormones, which reduces your body’s ability to deal with the hormone deficiency in menopause. Hormone therapy for memory focuses on restoring your sex hormones, but elevated cortisol levels from constant stress can negatively affect the secretion of sex hormones in your body.
Managing stress helps to maintain a healthy balance of cortisol in your body. Practicing adrenal breathing exercise can help relieve stress and anxiety through relaxing your mind and body. The deep mindful breathing techniques can help reduce stress, anxiety and digestive disorders, and also promote sleep which is essential for developing healthy hormone balance within your body.
The gut controls your body’s immune function and inflammation. Further, gut flora influences various brain functions such as thoughts, memory and emotions. The gut and brain are deeply interlinked. Over three quarters of your body’s neurotransmitters are produced in the gut. Therefore, the health of the gut-brain axis is crucial in establishing and maintaining healthy hormone levels, immune health and homeostasis.
As the gut and brain are intrinsically connected, poor gut health affects cognitive functioning and triggers inflammation in your body, raising the level of the stress hormone cortisol. To counter this, consider eating gut-healthy foods such as raw cheese, raw cultured dairy, fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and legumes. A healthy gut helps support cognitive function and it promotes overall health.
Inadequate sleep can disrupt the natural circadian rhythm of your body leading to an imbalance of important hormones such as cortisol, and estrogen. Disturbed sleep has been linked to poor memory, anxiety, depression, low concentration levels, weight gain and decreased immunity. Extensive studies on sleep deprivation reveal that hormone and blood sugar levels restore to normal with adequate sleep. Restorative sleep helps maintain your body’s natural hormone levels. Thus, it proves a safe and effective alternative solution to hormone therapy for memory.
Keeping your brain engaged can help improve memory by preventing brain degeneration. Studies have shown that appropriate stimulation of your brain can prove helpful in counteracting brain degeneration. One of the simplest ways to boost your brain function is to continuously learn new things. This helps to modulate the size and structure of neurons and strengthen the brain connectome, boosting memory simultaneously. Consider expanding your mind (through learning new things), visiting new places or playing musical instruments.
Menopause has been linked with increased risk of cognitive impairment. Your sex hormones control reproductive and non- reproductive functioning, including memory. During menopause, there is an imbalance of sex hormones which is connected to declining memory. Several women resort to hormone therapy for memory to deal with cognitive issues and menopausal symptoms; the therapy is used to restore the normal level of sex hormones in your body. Before beginning with the therapy, certain factors such as age and duration should be taken into consideration. However, extensive studies show that the result of hormone therapy for memory is inconsistent and can lead to various issues. Therefore, natural methods to overcome cognitive decline prove to be a safe and effective solution.
Finally, in certain cases, the actual reason for impaired cognition could be due to other factors such as disturbed sleep, poor nutrition, excessive stress, unhealthy gut flora or even dysfunctional adrenals. Fixing the actual root cause of the problem can help deal with the cognitive issues, also supporting adrenal health and overall well-being.
Ready to explore how hormone therapy can help with memory issues during menopause? Contact us today at +1 (626) 571-1234 for a free initial consultation. We're here to support you on your journey to better health and well-being!
© Copyright 2020 Michael Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
Extensive studies reveal the result of hormone therapy for memory as inconsistent. Further, hormone therapy can lead to side effects. Adrenal fatigue sufferers tend to have a weak body making it difficult to handle any side effects of medication. Undergoing hormone therapy, therefore, might aggravate the symptoms of adrenal fatigue.
