Valerie Saxion has developed a number of natural health products and supplements for a variety of health conditions. One popular item is Herbal Hormone Balance Plus, sold under the logo "Dr. Val's." It is available on the Valerie Saxion website, "Alternative Health Labs" but may be purchased elsewhere on the internet. According to the website, the supplement contains a number of vitamins, minerals and herbs and is intended to balance hormone levels in both andropausal men and menopausal women. As with all supplements, talk to your health-care professional before beginning any herbal or dietary regimen.
Vitamins
According to Valerie Saxon's website, Herbal Hormone Balance Plus is intended to balance hormone levels common with aging in both women and men. It contains a number of vitamins, including 100 IU of Vitamin E, which may provide antioxidant activity. The supplement also contains several of the B vitamins, including 10 mg of B-1, also known as thiamine, 10 mg of B-2 or riboflavin, 20 mg of B-3 or niacin, 25 mg of B-6 or pyridoxine and 200 mcg of folic acid. B vitamins are necessary for many processes in the body, including the functioning of most organs and the nervous system, and they may help to combat stress, both physical and psychological.
Minerals
Herbal Hormone Balance Plus also contains the minerals calcium and magnesium. A dose has 200 mg calcium and 100 mg magnesium, which are both known to be essential for proper bone maintenance, muscle health and nerve transmission. Trace elements boron and selenium are included at 3 mg and 70 mcg, respectively. Boron reportedly is needed for healthy bones and muscle and assists in the production of steroid compounds. It may also be needed for the metabolism of calcium and magnesium, and a deficiency of boron may accentuate a vitamin D deficiency. Selenium is thought to inhibit the oxidation of fats and act as an antioxidant. It may also act synergistically with vitamin E to prevent oxidation and is necessary for proper brain functioning.
Soy
Soy products are known to contain isoflavones that act as hormone-like substances, particularly phytoestrogens. During menopause, estrogen levels have fallen and the consumption of soy products may provide some relief. Herbal Hormone Balance Plus reportedly contains 75 mg of soy isoflavones, however the use of supplements containing extracts of soy may not prove as beneficial as consuming other soy products such as tofu, soy milk and edamame.
Herbs
Herbs such as red clover, dong quai, black cohosh, and Vitex have often been used in the herbal treatment of menopausal symptoms due to their estrogen-like activity. Herbal Hormone Balance Plus is said to contain 50 mg each of red clover and black cohosh, along with 75 mg each of dong quai and Vitex. It also contains 70 mg of Siberian ginseng, which may help as an overall balancing tonic, and gamma-oryzanol, also known as rice bran oil, which, according to Drugs.com has reportedly been used in Japan to treat symptoms of menopause, though there is no data available to support this use.
Other information
The official website that offers the full line of Dr. Val's supplements, including Herbal Hormone Balance Plus, has a disclaimer that states that you should always check the product label that you have for the most accurate information about what is in the product. The disclaimer goes on to state that product changes may occur periodically and may not be reflected in other available information. It is also important to note that herbal and dietary supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration in the same way that traditional prescription and over-the-counter medications are. Herbal and dietary supplements are viewed as food products and are not subjected to the rigorous clinical testing in which medications are required to prove that they are not only safe but effective. Ask your doctor before using any dietary or herbal supplement, especially if ordered off the internet.
References
- Alternative Health Labs: Herbal Hormone Balance Plus
- Drugs.com: Gamma-oryzanol
- "Prescription for Herbal Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; 2002
- "Prescription for Nutritional Healing"; Phyllis A. Balch, CNC; 2005
