Herbal Alternatives for Menopause Symptoms (HALT Study)
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
2004-09-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Surveys indicate that 25 to 33% of women have moderate to severe menopausal symptoms
including hot flashes, night sweats, and disturbed sleep. The treatment of choice in the
medical community for these symptoms is hormone replacement therapy, which is estrogen and
sometimes progestin. Many women also use over-the-counter herbal remedies. However, less is
known about how well these products work, or their safety. Few have undergone the kind of
rigorous testing required of prescription drugs and little is known about their long-term
effectiveness in relieving symptoms.
The purpose of this study is to compare several over-the-counter herbal remedies to hormone
replacement therapy. Our primary aim is to look at the effects of these remedies on your
self-reported menopausal symptoms. We will also be measuring their effects on other factors
known to be affected by hormone replacement therapy: cholesterol, blood sugar, bone density,
vaginal cell structure, and blood clotting.
Phase:
Phase 4
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Group Health Cooperative Kaiser Permanente
Collaborators:
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) National Institute on Aging (NIA)