I'm So Dizzy, My Head is Spinning...

...Like a whirlpool it never ends.  Sorry if we've given you a new earworm, but dizziness is one of the least talked about symptoms of menopause, despite being relatively common.  Research has been conducted into dizziness in menopausal women, with one study finding a ratio of 3.2:1 women affected versus men of the same age¹.  One medical term for this is benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), which sounds incredibly concerning, but just means a type of dizziness that comes from movements of the head (and could also occur on standing or changing position in bed).  The dizziness can be mild or intense but does not usually last for long.  In rare cases it can lead to vomiting due to the disorientating effect of feeling dizzy.

Light-headedness, where your vision can cloud over or you feel like you may black out, is also a common type of dizzy sensation, as is disequilibrium, which is a type of dizziness that makes you feel as though you may topple over even when standing still.  As with many menopause symptoms, the medical jury is still out on what causes dizziness or vertigo in menopausal women but some schools of thought label it as a common side effect of aging – changes in circulation and narrowing of blood vessels can lead to dizziness so for some people this will certainly be true.

The 2014 study we mentioned above found that BPPV affected significantly more women of menopausal age than men in the same age bracket, so there really is a strong link with menopause.  Hormonal changes affecting blood sugar and metabolism are very likely to play a part, as can narrowing of the blood vessels or slower circulation (both of which can be affected by lower levels of oestrogen in the body). 

You won't be surprised to hear that hot flushes are a major trigger for episodes of light headedness and vertigo – as the body starts to sweat and your blood vessels dilate to cool you down, your blood pressure can drop significantly enough to make you feel faint.  Stress and migraines can also be a trigger for dizzy spells and they are a sign that you need to slow down, take a break, and stop pushing yourself too far.

The cinnamon bark extract in our MenoShake™ helps to regulate blood pressure to stop you experiencing the peaks and troughs that can trigger an episode of vertigo. It has also been shown to lower blood sugar by helping to get glucose into our body’s cells where it is needed (like insulin does).  We include pine bark extract and Reishi mushroom extract to help support circulatory function and gingko biloba specifically for its ability to aid brain circulation as well as blood flow in the ears and eyes.  Our inner ear is responsible for maintaining balance (with vision playing a part), so making sure these organs are functioning as well as possible helps stave off spells of light headedness and puts you in the best position to recover quickly.

There are many compounds in the MenoShake™ that support digestion and metabolism, so as long as you're putting the right things in your body, you can be sure that our MenoShake™ is getting the most benefit from these and keeping your blood sugar and energy levels stable.  You can help maintain your blood sugar by eating regularly and having slow-release snacks like nuts, oats and bananas (which sounds like a great excuse to make some nutty flapjacks to enjoy during your afternoon MenoShake break).

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1) Ogun OA et al (2014) Menopause and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Menopause. 2014 Aug; 21(8): 886–889. doi: 10.1097/GME.0000000000000190