New research suggests that complementary and alternative therapies do not ease menopause-related symptoms.

A team of US researchers set out to investigate the effectiveness of alternative therapies in the management of menopausal symptoms. They undertook a review of all relevant trials carried out in this field.

Altogether, 70 studies were reviewed. They covered therapies such as soy supplements, reflexology, acupuncture and magnet therapy.

Acupuncture was included in the review

While a small number of the studies indicated that certain alternative and complementary therapies helped menopausal symptoms, most did not. Furthermore some of the studies were of poor quality or were only short-term.

"Although individual trials suggest benefits from certain therapies, data is insufficient to support the effectiveness of any complementary and alternative therapy in this review for the management of menopausal symptoms", the researchers said.

They added that many of these therapies warrant 'further study in trials with rigorous scientific designs to determine benefit and safety'.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, Archives of Internal Medicine.