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The report provides useful context for understanding nutritional approaches that support healthy hormone metabolism and overall nutritional health.*
Hormone metabolism during menopause
Menopause involves changes in estrogen and other hormones that influence many normal functions throughout the body. Nutrition can support healthy hormone metabolism during and after this transition.* A menopause support supplement or hormone balance supplement for women may include nutrients and botanicals that support these normal pathways.*
The nutritional plan in this case included diindolylmethane (DIM) and calcium D-glucarate. DIM supports healthy estrogen metabolism, while calcium D-glucarate supports glucuronidation, a natural process the body uses to prepare certain compounds for elimination.*
Botanicals formed another part of the plan. Black cohosh, chaste tree, and chrysin were included, along with tribulus, horny goat weed, damiana, Asian ginseng, tongkat ali, and ginkgo. These botanicals provided broader support for hormone-related pathways and other normal physiological functions.*
The plan also included DHEA and pregnenolone, which are precursors the body can use to make hormones. DHEA plays a role in normal hormone production, making healthy DHEA status one aspect of hormonal health.* DHEA and pregnenolone were used in this case under professional supervision; their regulatory status varies by country and they are not available as dietary supplements in all markets.
Foundational nutrients and methylation support*
Vitamins, minerals, and amino acids provide nutritional building blocks for many processes that remain important during and after menopause.* The nutritional plan in this case included a full-spectrum multivitamin with minerals such as iron and copper, along with L-glutamine and an amino acid formula.
Several nutrients in the plan specifically supported methylation, a process the body uses to transfer small chemical groups called methyl groups from one molecule to another.* Methylation plays a role in hormone metabolism, neurotransmitter production, and many other normal functions.* SAMe serves as an important methyl-group donor, while methylated folate and B12 help support normal methylation pathways.*
Nutrients that support brain signaling*
Menopause involves changes that affect the brain as well as the body. Shifts in hormone activity can influence mood, sleep, and other functions related to brain signaling.* The nutritional plan in this case included nutrients and plant compounds involved in neurotransmitter pathways, including N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, Mucuna pruriens, vitamin B6, EGCG, and quercetin.*
As the plan evolved, the practitioner added 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) along with vitamin B6 as pyridoxal-5-phosphate (P5P). 5-HTP provides a building block for serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood, sleep, and other normal functions.* The practitioner later added a magnesium malate supplement, which combines magnesium with malic acid.
What did the case report explore?
The published report followed a 61-year-old postmenopausal woman who participated in a 12-week, professionally guided nutrition and lifestyle program. The plan began with dietary changes, including removing dairy, reducing gluten, eating more plant foods and healthy fats, and following an eating pattern based on the body’s natural daily rhythms.
Laboratory testing, including urinary hormone testing, helped guide an individualized nutritional plan that included vitamins, minerals, amino acids, botanicals, and other forms of supplemental support. The plan changed over time based on her individual needs. Urinary hormone testing was repeated several months later, and the report included a 12-month follow-up.
Because the case involved dietary, lifestyle, and nutritional strategies during the same period, the effects of individual nutrients or supplements cannot be separated from the overall plan. The original authors identified the use of multiple interventions and the inclusion of only one participant as limitations of the case.
The report is a narrative account of one person’s professionally guided experience. It cannot show cause and effect, cannot tell us whether another person would have the same experience, and should not be used as a supplementation plan.
Key takeaways
- Menopause involves hormonal changes that can affect the brain and body, including areas such as mood, sleep, energy, and cognition.
- DIM supports healthy estrogen metabolism, while calcium D-glucarate supports glucuronidation, a normal process the body uses to prepare certain compounds for elimination.*
- S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe) and methylated folate and vitamin B12 support normal methylation processes.*
- The professionally guided plan included dietary and lifestyle strategies, laboratory testing, including urinary hormone testing, and multiple forms of supplemental support.
- Because a case report reflects only one person’s experience, it is not evidence of effectiveness and should not be viewed as a recommendation or used to predict how others will respond.
Frequently asked questions
- What happens to hormones during menopause?
- During menopause, the body produces less estrogen and progesterone as a woman moves from the reproductive years into the postmenopausal stage of life. These hormonal changes can affect areas including mood, sleep, and energy.
- What is DIM?
- DIM, or diindolylmethane, is a compound the body can make from substances naturally found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. Supplemental DIM supports healthy estrogen metabolism.*
- What is calcium D-glucarate?
- Calcium D-glucarate supports glucuronidation, a natural process the body uses to prepare certain compounds for elimination.* Glucuronidation is part of the body’s normal detoxification processes.*
- What is methylation?
- Methylation is a normal process that takes place throughout the body and plays a role in hormone metabolism and brain signaling.* Nutrients such as methylated folate and vitamin B12, vitamin B6, and SAMe support normal methylation processes.*
- What can we learn from a single case report?
- A case report provides a detailed account of one person’s experience and can raise questions for future research. However, it is not evidence of effectiveness, cannot establish cause and effect, and cannot predict how another person will respond. Always consult your health-care practitioner before beginning a new diet or supplement regimen.