Hormone support doesn’t have to be provided with a prescription. At least, not for most people who are dealing with monthly cycle symptoms, minor perimenopause symptoms, or the general hormonal disruptions that modern lifestyles create. But what plant-based options actually work and what’s just an overpriced placebo with a pretty title?

What Plant-Based Hormone Support Actually Is

Plants don’t have hormones like humans do. But they have substances that either mimic those hormones or encourage the body to produce those hormones. Some plant-based hormone supports do have phytoestrogens that occupy the body’s estrogen receptors. Some interact with progesterone activities and others help to balance cortisol levels. The results are usually milder compared to the effects of synthetic hormones, but that’s a positive and a negative depending on the individual.

The assumption that “natural” options are weak usually leads to people ignoring plant-based options. At the same time, the other assumption that anything natural is free of risk leads people to freely experiment with these substances. Both assume something that isn’t true – plant-based compounds are legitimate medicine that works in a different way than the compounds found in pharmacies.

Wild Yam: The Progesterone Option

Wild yam is often recommended for hormone support because it contains diosgenin, a compound that’s chemically similar to progesterone. The body can’t convert it into progesterone, however, so don’t expect results like that. Still, topical wild yam cream does appear to have a beneficial effect on the symptoms associated with a lack of progesterone anyway.

Women with any level of premenstrual symptoms or cramps and even minor perimenopause symptoms will find https://naturallylinda.com/collections/wild-yam-comfort-creams useful for easing their discomfort without the added side effects of bloating or emotional swings that other hormone supports cause.

The results with this cream vary massively from woman to woman. Some experience a definite improvement to their symptoms within weeks while others use it for months without noticeable results.

There are several quality factors that come into play here (and it’s a shame to see shops selling downright awful creams that might as well just be lotion). The strength of the active ingredients in the cream, how the cream itself is formulated, and if the provider actually tests their products for accuracy and purity all have an impact.

Black Cohosh and Red Clover: The Estrogen Options

Black cohosh has long been a popular choice for menopausal symptoms and it has reasonable research backing its use for hot flashes and mood swings. It doesn’t contain estrogen though but it does appear to positively interact with estrogen receptors and reduce harmful negative feedback from estrogen without interfering with the natural feedback loops in the body.

Red clover appears to work in much the same way through its isoflavones, plant compounds that mimic estrogens. The downside to both these options is they only work if someone has relatively mild to moderate menopausal symptoms. Anyone with severe menopausal symptoms is not going to benefit from these two plants.

The good news is neither plant appears to have serious side effects and the most common complaint from users is that they take a lot longer to show results than prescription options do (usually around four to six weeks before anyone notices any results).

Vitex and Evening Primrose: Natural Production Support

Vitex (chasteberry) also interacts with the body differently by activating the pituitary gland to encourage the body to produce hormones instead of just adding them into the system. It’s also particularly useful for premenstrual symptoms and irregular periods because it helps balance progesterone levels rather than adding progesterone into the system and messing with natural feedback loops.

Research has shown that it helps reduce breast tenderness, mood swings and irritability for many women but not quickly. Most women need to use it for a few months before they see any results.

Evening primrose oil does contain active ingredients but they’re not quite as exciting. It contains gamma-linolenic acid, which the body metabolizes into prostaglandins and endocannabinoids. These substances help reduce inflammation and imbalance in hormones. It’s been mainly used for breast pain, but it can also help with hormone-related skin issues like acne and eczema.

The downside with this oil is that it takes a pretty high dose to work (around 3000mg a day) so it can become pretty expensive.

Ashwagandha: Cortisol Control

In some cases, hormone imbalances have nothing to do with sex hormones at all, they have everything to do with elevated levels of cortisol in the body. Chronic stress disrupts all the hormones in the body. That’s where adaptogens come in. Regular use of ashwagandha helps to regulate cortisol levels in the body which helps to rebalance other hormones as well.

People with irregular cycles or other hormone-related sleep problems might experience improvements in their sleep cycles with regular use of ashwagandha.

Research is reasonable for ashwagandha and its stress-reducing properties. Some studies have also shown improved thyroid levels in people using it, making it a solid option for anyone experiencing disproportionate hormonal changes due to stress.

It takes eight weeks of dedicated use for the recommended level of ashwagandha to be effective though (and there’s a massive difference in quality between the brands out there, so people really do need to pay attention to what they’re using).

How To Make Plant-Based Support Work

Most people use plant-based support for hormone imbalances incorrectly and with misguided expectations. They try one thing for two weeks and when it doesn’t work miracles, they abandon ship. Most people should not do this! Most plant-based supports take time and need to be part of an overall strategy because balancing hormones also has a lifestyle component.

Diet matters.

Sleep matters.

Exercise matters.

Applying wild yam cream while guzzling copious amounts of caffeine on only four hours of sleep is not going to produce miracles.

Multiple botanical options often work better than relying on just one product. Someone might use wild yam cream topically while also using vitex internally and also using ashwagandha for stress management.

The combined efforts pack more punch than any one item used alone.

One other thing to be aware of is when not to use botanical support anymore, especially if symptoms are severe and debilitating. Mild hormone imbalances don’t usually require medical interventions. But if symptoms persist despite sticking to a reasonable plant-based regimen, then it’s time to head to the doctor. Plant-based hormone supports work well for mild symptoms but shouldn’t delay medical intervention when needed.