Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Alternative Therapies => Topic started by: 2102bunker on March 16, 2016, 10:29:29 AM
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I am about to order some Macafem from Amazon, this was recommended to me, has anyone tried this or are on this????
Please let me know how you find it, thank you.
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Where exactly are you ordering this from? If you do a 'search' you will see if other ladies have used it.
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Hello! You can read some macafem reviews here http://www.menopausematters.co.uk/forum/index.php'topic=25702.0
I took Macafem for a long time and then found out other brands were selling their own maca so I switched to them just to save money but gained several pounds and some old menopausal symptoms came back, so I switched back to Macafem and the symptoms disappeared again! But I am still trying to lose weight. I read they care a lot about the quality of the product so I guess that's why Macafem works better :)
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Hi
I used a Maca product when I was peri menopause until I was about 54, it was great at controlling any symptoms until then but gradually as I got further into menopause it stopped working; I think it is really good until then,
C
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I would be interested to hear how you get on with it. I borrowed a book which recommended it highly, but as the author was a bit extreme about other things (anyone taking HRT is filling their body with toxins and will die of cancer, sugar should be completely removed from your diet because it's poison and you wouldn't eat arsenic...!) it put me off.
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I have not tried Maca but was researching it on the internet, out of desperation I think. The thing is that some of the alternatives, for me anyway, are way too expensive and that is one main reason why I have not been able to try some.
Meg
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I'm going to give it rave reviews but with a caveat.
I've been on Maca for 4 months and have gone from a total mess to almost ( almost) a completely normal human being. I'm perimenopausal, not in full menopause and I've been taking NOW bring Maca ( 1000mg once daily in the morning). The caveat is that peri is a roller coaster and there is a possibility that i'd be feeling better even without Maca, but it was definitely coincidental timing. And given that the three years!!! before going on the maca were absolute HELL I don't know if I believe the Maca isn't responsible.
I've gone from sleeping 3-4 hours a night to sleeping a solid 8 ( almost narcoleptic lol, but I'll take it). Hot flashes have diminished from continuous leading up to a period to an occasional full one, or several mild flutters almost only early in the morning. Ovulation is still pretty bad with the arrhythmia, but better.
But most importantly my energy level, and mood has changed completely for the better. I get a little PMS, but I haven't cried in 4 months and THAT is a small miracle. Anxiety and panic attacks about 95% better.
From the research I've done ( pubmed, journal articles) there seems to be a very low risk profile, no shown side effects HOWEVER the longest study I saw was for a year i think...maybe six months. So for all I know I'm killing my liver etc etc etc. I may regret taking it later, but for now ....totally worth it!!
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Just keeping up with the research.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25097281
For those who are interested but not really science nerdy, this ( very short and very small) study showed that the rats getting Maca had the same estrogen levels as the rats that still had their ovaries. In this study at least, the Maca increased your OWN estrogen levels and suppressed your own FSH levels.
This acts on the brain itself, unlike many menopausal supplements that act on the estrogen receptors ( they act as 'pretend estrogens').
Small but interesting. :)
Tara
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The product I used was called Femmenessence, I agree with you Dogdoc, it really helped me too when I was peri menapausal.
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I took Macafem for 2 months, stopped for a month to determine if it really allowed me to feel better. Definitely yes.. I had more energy and my doctor was impressed with my improvement. I am 60.
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I'm really interested in this, I'll try anything to help with the damn anxiety and low moods!
Which brands are recommended? Is Holland and barratt's ones an option?
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I often read these good reports about Macafem, and I'm tempted by it even though I'm very sceptical about any of those alternate remedies for menopause, after having spent a lot of money on them some years ago with absolutely no success.
However, my meno symptoms especially insomnia, are so severe without HRT that I'm scared to attempt it. In the next few years I would like to try to decrease my estrogen dose (mainly because I don't always get on that well with progesterone/progestin), so I wonder if supplementing my HRT with the Macafem would help? What is the thinking on taking it in conjunction with HRT? Some alternate therapies aren't supposed to be used with HRT.
Food for thought.
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Like Dana I would be interested to hear thoughts. I read good reports about Macafem in the peri but I'd like to know how successful it is in meno. I hadn't thought about taking along hrt..........
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Hey ladies. You are going to find almost NO studies about taking maca in conjunction with hrt. I believe I found one... I'll try to find it again.
So far I have put my peri menopausal sister on it ( improvement as well particularly when it relates to stress coping) and my very very post menopausal mother ( 74) who has had insomnia since having hysterectomy at 43. She's not on hrt and never has been ( hence her poor dissolving bones).
Some studies show maca increases your own ( endogenous) estrogen levels and some find no change to your own hormones. They believe it regulates the hypothalamic pituitary ovarian axis but does not act specifically as a 'fake estrogen' which is what most herbal menopausal remedies do ( like black cohosh or soy).
I'll try to find the study. I cannot find ANY adverse events in the profile of this medication other than mild gastrointestinal upset for some women.
It us not supposed to be taken raw FYI. :)
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Here's that paper that mentions estrogen and maca in the same breath. Not exactly an endorsement for their use but they're at least thinking about it.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25668332
Ps. Results still out for my post meno mom. Insomnia is really her only main issue wrt no hrt so we shall see. If she suddenly states sleeping I'll let you all know. Lol.
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Which brand do you use or recommend dogdoc?
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I don't know enough to recommend any of them. I take NOW brand because it was reasonably priced, I can buy it at a supplement store nearby and the ladies on Amazon seemed to like it lol.
I have read that pre-gelatinized is better and that raw maca can cause gi distress in some people. I've had no side effects that i'm aware of.
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Thanks, I've been looking around but can't find what the suggested dose is? There's lots to choose from but they're all different strength mg's ???
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Most of the ones I see are 500 mg. I've read doses ranging from 1 -3 GRAMS per day, but most seem to recommend around 1.5grams ( or three 500mg capsules) per day. I am sensitive to everything so I started low at 500mg once daily in the morning. I noticed significant changes in mood, heat, and many peri symptoms at this dose ( coincidence?)..no idea.
I increased to 2 500mg capsules about a month or so ago. I cannot say I've noticed further increased improvement over the 500mg dosage. My husband is also taking it. It takes 1000mg once daily and has also noticed an increase in his engergy/stamina and a reduced stress level.
Interesting stuff. Wish they knew more.
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Thanks dogdoc :) I think I'll start low and build up if I need to
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Here's that paper that mentions estrogen and maca in the same breath. Not exactly an endorsement for their use but they're at least thinking about it.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25668332
Ps. Results still out for my post meno mom. Insomnia is really her only main issue wrt no hrt so we shall see. If she suddenly states sleeping I'll let you all know. Lol.
Thanks for that. I guess it's just one of those things that you have to try for yourself to see. I'm just about to turn 57, so I'm probably not going to do anything about decreasing my estro dose for at least 2-3 years. By that time maybe there might be some more information available.
As much as I love estrogen, and all its benefits, I don't love taking prog or having periods, and at the moment that's the only routine that seems to work for me. I would love to work out something where I could have all the relief of no hot flushes or insomnia, but also no periods.
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Wow, that's great Charlotte. Weirdly I just came across this product online last night! I'd never heard of it before ;D
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Macafem is a food supplement which has been used for years in men and women apparently to improve sexual performance ::).
There is limited research as to its effectiveness in menopause though.
Here are some links:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2016/01/07/maca-powder-health-benefits-risks_n_6678142.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21840656
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24931003
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20691074
http://www.webmd.boots.com/vitamins-and-minerals/maca
http://www.maca.co.uk/maca-lepidium-meyenii/scientific-research-on-maca.html
Whilst I am pleased to hear your hot flushes have reduced charlottecl, it is very unlikely to be due to the Maca as nothing usually works that fast - to eliminate them completely, although some women report a marked decrease quite quickly using proven treatments such as HRT.
Unfortunately anecdotal evidence from individuals cannot tell you whether a substance has a chance of being effective or not - as this can only be demonstrated through placebo controlled trials. I suggest you don't waste your money Jaki T!!
Hurdity x
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Are you a rep for the company donnaharrison - most of your few posts over the last few years seem to be trying to urge others to use this stuff, and this particular brand? I appreciate you are enthusiastic about something that seems to work for you but the scientific evidence is inconclusive as seen from my links. You can also buy Maca capsules from Holland and Barret and also Maca powder (the food supplement) from various sources. Personally I would look for better ways to boost vitamin intake through dietary means rather than expensive food supplements. Also one needs to be specific as to what symptom(s) one is trying to address. Is it hot flushes? Vitamin deficiency? Or what? As I said before anecdotal evidence ("it worked for me") does not provide sufficient criteria for someone to decide whether or not to try something....
Hurdity x
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I've actually had Maca powder and that did nothing for me - I was wondering if Macafem came from the same source. Maca is promoted as one of those super foods. The taste of the powder was so disgusting though I couldn't stick at it long enough to draw any conclusions :-X
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Hurdity, I think your comments were a little strong. 'It worked for me', seem to be the main sentiment from donnaharrisons post.
This is the 'alternative' section after all. People are free to make their own choices, and recommendation is not the same as promotion. ;)
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Have to say I have also thought donnaharrison's posts had the feel of advertorial about them. Not being rude, but unlike most on here she's using a "real" name (most of us hide behind nicknames), only really posts about macafem and it does read like an advert each time. I could be wrong but that's how I read her words. Dogdoc's posts on this (and all else!) are completely different (and I always enjoy reading what she has to say).
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Well donnaharrison appears to have gone. In a way I hope you were right about her, otherwise someone has been upset and left.
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Hi breeze - when someone leaves of their own volition they don't just disappear - their name goes black. If someone disappears completely it means that they and all their posts have been removed by the moderator for whatever reason. Someone must have beaten me to it (maybe Emma noticed too) because I was thinking of contacting Emma to ask if this poster was legit because it has been going on for two years - only rarely but nevertheless almost all posts promoted this particular product! Also looks like there were two of them at it - someone called charlotte as there is reference to her too in a post?
By the way - I make no apology whatsoever for what I said - in fact I have been very restrained since what I wrote yesterday I had been thinking since that member first joined!!!! I am clearly not the only one to think this - but just not worried about saying it. Also the topic was not originally in the alternatives section - it was moved there by Emma, and these posts have been on other sections too. Not that the location of the post makes a difference as to whether to respond or not! I agree people need to make their own choices - but the crucial thing is an informed choice, of which scientific evidence has to be the starting point - before personal (or commercial) recommendation.
I've been on this forum long enough to have seen all sorts of members joining for all sorts of reasons and posting all sorts of things including those with commercial interests. Commercial links and excessive promotion of products and are forbidden anyway!
Hurdity x
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Gosh, it's all a bit 'cloak and dagger'. I'd better watch what I post then ;D