Menopause Treatment

Menopause is caused by a massive change in estrogen levels in a woman’s body. Weight gain may now happen more easily, and bone and heart health can be affected.

Some women may not experience any symptoms of this change, but others may experience symptoms like hot flashes, sleep troubles, moodiness and irritability, painful sex or depression.

As oestrogen levels decrease during peri-menopause, women may experience various physical and mental changes. Weight gain is common due to the body storing more fat as a result of lower oestrogen levels. 

There may be a higher risk of developing osteoporosis (weak bones) and heart disease because of these decreased oestrogen levels. Sleep disturbances, mood changes, anxiety, and depression are also prevalent during this time.

Sleep

Many women going through menopause report having trouble getting a good night’s sleep. Whether it’s frequent waking during the night, insomnia, or waking early, reduced sleep can add up and make day-to-day life difficult. Researchers have found that CBD may help decrease sleep troubles, improve the quality of sleep, and help people fall asleep faster. A survey study by Dahlgren et al. (2022) found that 67.4% of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women used medical cannabis for sleep disturbances. Higher doses of CBD may have a sedative effect, making it a potential treatment option for menopause-related sleep issues.

Anxiety, depression, and mood issues

During menopause, there is an increased risk of depression and anxiety. This may be due to menopause itself or the symptoms that come along with this body change. A survey by Dahlgren et al. (2022) found that 46.1% of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women used medical cannabis for mood and anxiety symptoms. There are some case studies available, and we have seen firsthand in the clinic how medicinal cannabis may help those facing mental health issues.

Hot flushes

Hot flushes are a common occurrence for women during and after menopause. It is believed they are related to the changing oestrogen levels in the body. Hot flushes are usually experienced in the upper part of the body — a woman may find her skin is flushed, and she experiences heavy sweating and chills.

These hot flushes could last a few seconds or several minutes. THC can mimic some aspects of anandamide, an endocannabinoid that helps regulate body temperature. However, medicinal cannabis may also help manage anxiety, which can be a trigger for hot flushes.

Muscle aches and joint pain

Women can develop menopause-related arthritis (pain in joints) due to increased inflammation from decreased oestrogen levels. A 2015 animal study found that topical CBD may help reduce inflammation and concluded that topical CBD may help with inflammation.

In the survey by Dahlgren et al. (2022), 33% of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women reported using medical cannabis for muscle and joint aches.

If you’re looking for fast relief from symptoms such as anxiety or sleeping troubles, CBD oil taken beneath the tongue is the best option. Edibles are another easy and discreet option that may take a little longer than CBD oil but are just as effective.

For joint pain and muscle aches, topical CBD will likely be the best treatment option for you. One of our qualified doctors will be able to guide you to the best product option depending on your menopause symptoms.

Research completed in June 2022 showed that mice with decreased oestrogen levels responded positively to being treated with medicinal cannabis). Some women experience weight gain post-menopause, and after being treated with cannabis, the mice were better able to dispose of glucose from their bloodstream and burnt more energy. Their bone density also improved, which could help women avoid developing brittle bones (osteoporosis), and they had less gut inflammation and better levels of healthy gut bacteria.

A cross-sectional survey by Babyn et al. (2023) examined the pattern of use and perceptions about cannabis for menopause in women aged 35 and over in Alberta, Canada. Among the 1485 responses analyzed, 34% of women reported currently using cannabis, with over 75% using it for medical purposes.

The most common reasons for current use were sleep (65%), anxiety (45%), and muscle/joint achiness (33%). In current users, 74% indicated that cannabis was helpful for their symptoms.

Another survey study by Dahlgren et al. (2022) assessed patterns of medical cannabis use in perimenopausal and postmenopausal individuals. Most participants reported current cannabis use (86.1%) and endorsed using medical cannabis for menopause-related symptoms (78.7%).

The most common modes of use were smoking (84.3%) and edibles (78.3%), and the top menopause-related symptoms for medical cannabis use were sleep disturbance (67.4%) and mood/anxiety (46.1%).

A systematic review by Mejia-Gomez et al. (2021) aimed to evaluate the published data on the effect of cannabis use in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women to alleviate menopausal symptoms, insomnia, and anxiety.

The review found a paucity of literature on the impact of cannabis use in menopause, with only three studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The authors concluded that research into cannabis consumption in menopause is essential, as it is frequently used to alleviate symptoms without evidence of its benefits.

‍Research into how medicinal cannabis can specifically help with menopause is ongoing but currently still very limited due to medicinal cannabis only recently being legalized.

There are no current human studies relating to cannabis and menopause, but we look forward to research coming out in the future that addresses women’s health.