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Menopause Reversal: 13 Things to Know About Emerging Therapies
Emerging research suggests that it could be, at least temporarily. Scientists are looking at two potential treatments, melatonin therapy and ovarian rejuvenation. Each therapy aims to reduce the symptoms of menopause and revive natural ovulation.
Research into these treatments is still in its early stages. Here’s what we know so far and what we still need to find out before these therapies become widely accessible.
Ovarian rejuvenation is a procedure developed by fertility doctors in Greece. During the procedure, doctors inject your ovaries with platelet-rich plasma (PRP). PRP, which is used in other fields of medicine, is a concentrated solution derived from your own blood.
The procedure is based on the natural growth factors in PRP that can aid in:
The theory is that it may also reverse signs of aging in your ovaries and activate previously dormant eggs.
To test this, doctors at the Genesis Clinic in Athens conducted a small study with eight women in their 40s. Each of these women had been period-free for about five months. Researchers tested their hormone levels at the beginning of the study and on a monthly basis thereafter to determine how well their ovaries were functioning.
After one to three months, all participants resumed normal periods. Doctors were then able to retrieve mature eggs for fertilization.
For years, researchers have been investigating the connections between menopause and melatonin. Melatonin, the sleep hormone, is produced in your pineal gland. Older research shows that the pineal gland begins to shrink as you approach menopause.
Researchers believe melatonin plays an important role in the production of reproductive hormones. Without it, reproductive hormone levels begin to plummet.
One study found that a nightly dose of 3 milligrams of melatonin restored menstruation in participants ages 43 to 49. These participants were either in perimenopause or menopause. No effects were seen in participants ages 50 to 62.
Although more research is required, melatonin could be a natural and safe way of delaying, or potentially reversing, menopause.
What foods contain melatonin?
Here are 10 foods that naturally contain melatonin— you may even have most of these in your kitchen already!
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Getting pregnant during perimenopause can be challenging, but not impossible. A procedure like ovarian rejuvenation may help trigger your ovaries to begin releasing eggs again.
During ovulation, mature follicles in your ovaries burst and release an egg or eggs. Once perimenopause has begun, ovulation becomes less consistent and you don’t release a viable egg every month. The important thing is that your ovaries still hold viable eggs.
The ovarian rejuvenation procedure may help restore or rebalance the reproductive hormones responsible for maturing and bursting follicles. This will allow you to become pregnant naturally or allow doctors to retrieve an egg for in vitro fertilization (IVF).
In the only peer-reviewed study conducted so far, researchers found that all four participants produced an egg capable of being extracted for fertilization.
An international team of clinical researchers — including the Greek doctors who pioneered ovarian rejuvenation and a team of California doctors — have been conducting early-stage clinical trials since 2015.
Their unpublished data claims that, of the more than 60 women in menopause (ages 45 to 64) who have undergone the procedure:
This data is very preliminary and large-scale placebo-controlled trials are required before making any conclusions about the treatment’s efficacy.
Clinical trials have found a nightly dose of melatonin may reduce feelings of depression and improve overall mood for women in menopause. This treatment may be suited for someone looking to minimize menopause symptoms rather than restore fertility.
Melatonin may also have protective effects for older women against some cancers — including breast cancer — and certain metabolic disorders. It’s also been shown to improve the immune system.
Although data on the longevity of these treatments is extremely limited, it’s pretty clear that the effects aren’t permanent. Inovium, the international team running early-stage clinical trials on ovarian rejuvenation, vaguely says that their treatment lasts, “for the full duration of a pregnancy and beyond.”
Melatonin therapy has proven to be effective against a number of age-related conditions in women who are postmenopausal. Although it won’t keep you fertile forever, it may serve as a long-term protective factor against some age-related health conditions.
There isn’t enough data available to know how long the effects of ovarian rejuvenation will last.
Doctors at the Inovium group mention a few cases of older women coming back for a second treatment. This suggests that the ovarian rejuvenation procedure can only temporarily prevent symptoms. Once the treatment stops working, symptoms will probably return.
Melatonin may help reduce the symptoms of menopause during your transition. There’s no data suggesting that symptoms come rushing back once you stop taking the supplements.
Ovarian rejuvenation treatment involves injecting PRP into your ovaries. Although PRP is made from your own blood, it may still have risks associated with it. Most of the data on PRP injections show that it’s safe to use, but the studies have been small and limited. The long-term effects haven’t been evaluated.
Some researchers question whether injecting PRP into a localized area could have cancer-promoting effects.
According to the National Institutes of Health, melatonin supplements appear to be safe for short-term use, but there isn’t enough data to make a determination about long-term use. Because it’s a naturally occurring hormone, most people tolerate melatonin well.
When side effects do occur, they may include:
The unpublished data from the Inovium team documents their experience treating 27 women experiencing menopause. The results of these ovarian rejuvenation procedures are less promising than earlier data sited on their website.
Although 40 percent — or 11 out of 27 participants — began menstruating again, only two produced a healthy egg for extraction. And only one became pregnant.
Pregnancy becomes more difficult with age. In women of advanced age, pregnancies are more easily lost due to chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus.
Women over the age of 40 are also more likely to experience pregnancy complications, such as:
Most people are eligible to begin melatonin treatment. Melatonin is available without a prescription, though it’s always a good idea to discuss new supplements with a doctor.
Ovarian rejuvenation is now available at several fertility clinics around the United States. Most people in good health with working ovaries are eligible for this elective procedure. But costs can be steep, and it isn’t covered by insurance.
Clinical trials can sometimes allow for more affordable treatment. Unfortunately, clinical trials aren’t always taking place, and when they are, they may only recruit a small number of patients. Trials also have specific recruitment criteria, such as being over 35 or the ability to receive IVF treatments at an out-of-town clinic.
When combined with IVF, which is recommended when trying to get pregnant after ovarian rejuvenation, out-of-pocket costs are high.
The cost of ovarian rejuvenation alone is around $5,000 to $8,000. You’ll also need to factor in travel. One cycle of IVF may add another $25,000 to $30,000 to the bill.
Ovarian rejuvenation is considered an experimental treatment, so most insurance companies won’t cover it. If your insurance company covers IVF, that may help reduce cost.
If you have symptoms of menopause or you’re wondering whether it’s still possible to become pregnant, talk with your doctor. You may decide to go the natural route with melatonin or hormone replacement therapy in place of ovarian rejuvenation.
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Menopause reversed using blood treatment
Researchers in Greece have used a blood treatment to rejuvenate the ovaries of post-menopausal women, enabling them to restart their periods and produce fertile eggs…
The menopause typically occurs in women between 45 and 55 years of age and causes the ovaries to stop releasing eggs on a monthly basis. The new technique could hold promise for older women who wish to have children as well as those who experience premature menopause.
‘It offers a window of hope that menopausal women will be able to get pregnant using their own genetic material,’ says Dr Konstantinos Sfakianoudis, lead researcher and gynaecologist at the Greek fertility centre Genesis Athens. The preliminary results were presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology annual meeting earlier this month but have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
The team injected the ovaries of about 30 menopausal women with platelet-rich plasma (PRP), made by spinning a sample of their own blood at a high speed to separate out the different components. PRP contains growth factors which are known to trigger the repair of damaged bones and enhance blood vessel formation. It is commonly administered to patients to speed up healing after cosmetic surgery.
The women who received the PRP treatment were all between 46 and 49 years old and had not had periods for several months. One woman in the study was 45 years old and had undergone the menopause five years previously. Six months after the PRP injection she experienced a period.
The researchers say they were able to collect eggs from most of these women, and fertilise them with their partners’ sperm. So far they have yet to implant any embryos in post-menopausal women, but hope to do so in the coming months.
It is still unclear how exactly PRP rejuvenates ovaries but the team speculates that the growth factors could be stimulating ovarian stem cells to regenerate tissue and produce new eggs.
‘It seems to work in about two-thirds of cases. We see changes in biochemical patterns, a restoration of menses, and egg recruitment and fertilisation,’ Dr Sfakianoudis told New Scientist.
However, fertility experts are urging caution. Professor Adam Balen, chair of the British Fertility Society, warned that not enough is known about the techniques used by the Greek team. He advised, ‘It is too early to get excited about this particular piece of research and any person seeking fertility treatment should be made aware of the evidence-base behind any treatment being offered.’
Dr Roger Sturmey at Hull York Medical School hailed the technique as ‘potentially quite exciting’. However he also raised concerns about the safety and efficacy of the procedure, noting that the experiment would not have been allowed to take place in the UK. The technique also raises significant ethical questions over the upper age limits of pregnancy.
Dr Sfakinoudis noted, ‘We need larger studies before we can know for sure how effective the treatment is.’
Animal trials of chlamydia vaccine show promise
Published 25 July 2016 posted in News and appears in BioNews 861
Author
BioNews
A nasal spray vaccine given to mice protects against chlamydia, a common sexually transmitted disease that can cause infertility…
A nasal spray vaccine given to mice shows effectiveness in protecting against chlamydia, a common sexually transmitted disease.
It is estimated that chlamydia affects 113 million people; more women are affected than men, globally, every year. Dr David Bulir, co-author of the study, states: ‘As most Chlamydia trachomatis [a common species affecting humans] infections are asymptomatic, chlamydia can often go untreated and lead to upper genital tract infections, pelvic inflammatory disease, and infertility. This is why the promise of a vaccine would be extremely beneficial’.
The vaccine was developed by researchers from Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University in Canada, and is made from a novel chlamydial antigen called BD584. The researchers immunised five mice and infected them with C. trachomatis. Compared against five controls, all immunised mice produced anti-chlamydia antibodies.
Researchers further vaccinated 10 subject and 10 control mice, and infected them with Chlamydia muridarum (a type of chlamydia that only affects mice). Vaccinated mice showed a 95 percent reduction in chlamydia shedding from the vagina on days five and seven. Moreover, 32 days post-infection, there were no signs of bacterial shedding in vaccinated mice compared with detectable levels in control mice. The immunised mice also experienced an 87.5 percent reduction in the blockage of the fallopian tubes – structures crucial for female fertility.
Co-author and McMaster PhD student, Steven Liang, further added, ‘Not only is the vaccine effective, it also has the potential to be widely protective against all C. trachomatis strains, including those that cause trachoma.’ Trachoma, an eye infection caused by chlamydia, is the leading cause of preventable blindness which affects millions of people in resource-poor regions of the world.
Due to the bacteria’s high rate of evolution, it has been difficult to produce a vaccine for chlamydia, with efforts dating back to 1957. Although the study involved a small group of mice and has yet to be tested in humans for safety and efficacy, the researchers say the vaccine ‘affords a significant degree of protection and could be an effective vaccine for human use’. As the vaccine is delivered nasally, it also does not require health professionals to administer it and so could be an inexpensive treatment for developing nations.
‘Vaccine development efforts (for chlamydia) in the past three decades have been unproductive and there is no vaccine approved for use in humans,’ said Dr Bulir. ‘Vaccination would be the best way to way to prevent a chlamydia infection, and this study has identified important new antigens which could be used as part of a vaccine to prevent or eliminate the damaging reproductive consequences of untreated infections.’
The researchers intend to trial the vaccine on other animal models, before moving on to human trials.
Men should be screened for Chlamydia too, say scientists
The bacterial infection Chlamydia may cause infertility in men as well as women, heard delegates at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Washington DC this week. A study of 143 infertile men, infected with Chlamydia and another common sexually transmitted disease (STD), mycoplasma, found that 35…
Stem cell therapy may help reverse effects of premature menopause, restore fertility
Young women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) may be able to use their own bone marrow stem cells to rejuvenate their ovaries and avoid the effects of premature menopause, new research suggests. The preliminary results from the ongoing ROSE clinical trial will be presented Tuesday at ENDO 2018, the 100th annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Chicago, Ill.
“In the two participants who have completed the treatment to date, serum estrogen levels have increased as soon as 3 months after the injection of stem cells, and the effect has lasted for at least one year. Their menopausal symptoms have been alleviated, and six months after the injection of the stem cells into the ovaries, they have resumed menses,” said senior author Ayman Al-Hendy, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Gynecology and Director of Translational Research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The researchers plan to enroll 33 participants in their clinical trial. For the two patients who have undergone the procedure so far, they collected each woman’s own mesenchymal stem cells from her posterior iliac crest bone marrow and used minimally invasive laparoscopy to inject the cells into one ovary, keeping the second, untreated, ovary as a control. The authors followed the patients closely with frequent blood work, imaging of the ovaries, menopausal symptom questionnaires, and safety studies.
Now that both women’s estrogen levels have increased significantly and they have begun to menstruate, the research team looks forward to the possibility that they may again become fertile.
“Ultrasound imaging of treated ovaries shows significant size increase in the treated ovaries compared to the contralateral untreated ovaries. In the cases completed so far, the patients have tolerated the treatment very well with no complications or side effects,” Al-Hendy said.
The ovaries produce hormones and eggs typically until menopause in the early fifties, when they stop working. About 1 percent of women have POI, and some are as young as in their teens, the authors wrote in their abstract.
With POI, the ovaries stop working and the women enter early menopause. They lose the ability to menstruate, ovulate and have children using their own eggs, and they may be at increased risk for menopausal symptoms including hot flushes, night sweets, mood swings and vaginal dryness, and for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis-related fracture and earlier cognitive function decline, Al-Hendy said.
The authors are currently enrolling new participants with the goal of following more patients for a longer period. More information on the clinical trial, including the enrollment process, is available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT02696889.
MD Stem Cells is sponsoring the study.
About Endocrine Society
Endocrinologists are at the core of solving the most pressing health problems of our time, from diabetes and obesity to infertility, bone health, and hormone-related cancers. The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest and largest organization of scientists devoted to hormone research and physicians who care for people with hormone-related conditions.
The Society has more than 18,000 members, including scientists, physicians, educators, nurses, and students in 122 countries. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at @TheEndoSociety and @EndoMedia.
Can Menopause Be Reversed?
Medically Reviewed byCathleen BrownDO, Medical Director
Updated04/25/25
Article Content
Menopause is a natural phase every woman goes through. For some, it’s a welcome end to monthly cycles and the worry of unplanned pregnancies. But for others, the changes in hormone levels may prompt a desire to delay or even avoid this transition.
Many women want to delay menopause because of the desire to have children later in life. Whether due to career goals, personal milestones, or waiting for the right partner, women are exploring ways to extend their fertility. While it’s not possible to reverse menopause, advancements in science are offering potential ways to delay it.(1)
Current research focuses on melatonin therapy, ovarian rejuvenation, and cryopreservation. These approaches aim to support ovarian function, helping to maintain hormonal balance and fertility for longer. However, they’re still in the early stages of research, and many questions remain unanswered. This article explores their potential benefits and limitations.
Premature Menopause vs. Perimenopause
Understanding the difference between premature menopause and perimenopause is essential when discussing ways to delay menopause.
Premature Menopause
Premature menopause occurs when a woman’s periods stop entirely before the age of 40, usually due to factors like genetics, autoimmune conditions, or medical treatments such as chemotherapy. The surgical removal of the ovaries may also result in premature menopause in some cases. Women experiencing premature menopause may face an earlier loss of fertility and increased health risks, including osteoporosis and heart disease, due to the sudden drop in estrogen.
Perimenopause
Perimenopause, on the other hand, is the natural transition leading up to menopause. It usually starts in the 40s, but the timing can vary. During this phase, hormone levels fluctuate, causing irregular periods and symptoms like hot flashes, sleep problems, and mood swings. Unlike premature menopause, perimenopause is a slower process, giving the body more time to adapt to hormonal changes.
Is it possible to reverse menopause?
Scientifically speaking, it’s not possible to reverse menopause. However, researchers are exploring options like melatonin therapy, ovarian rejuvenation, and cryopreservation to help delay it. While these methods show promise, it’s essential to understand their potential benefits and risks to make informed decisions.
Melatonin Supplementation
Aging and oxidative stress significantly contribute to the gradual decline in ovarian function. These processes reduce egg quality and deplete ovarian reserves over time, ultimately leading to menopause.
Melatonin, a hormone primarily recognized for regulating sleep, is a potent antioxidant. It neutralizes harmful free radicals and protects ovarian cells from the oxidative damage associated with aging. Melatonin also helps safeguard critical cellular components such as DNA and mitochondria, which are vital for maintaining egg quality.(2)
Studies in animal models have demonstrated that melatonin supplementation can reduce oxidative stress in the ovaries, supporting their function. Meanwhile, in studies among women, particularly those undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), melatonin has been associated with improved egg quality and fertilization rates.(2)
Melatonin also enhances mitochondrial function. Mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of cells, are critical for proper egg maturation, and their dysfunction can lead to a decline in egg quality. By boosting mitochondrial efficiency, melatonin helps ensure eggs receive the energy needed for development.(2)
This hormone may help regulate reproductive hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which are crucial for ovulation and maintaining regular menstrual cycles.(2)
While the research on melatonin and ovarian health is still in its early stages, the results are encouraging. However, most studies have been small, and further research is needed to confirm its long-term safety, effectiveness, and optimal dosing.
Women considering melatonin as part of a strategy to delay menopause should consult a healthcare provider to carefully evaluate its potential benefits and risks and make an informed decision.
Ovarian Rejuvenation
The ovaries contain a finite number of follicles, many of which remain dormant throughout the reproductive years. Over time, these follicles diminish in quantity and quality, signaling the onset of menopause. Ovarian rejuvenation aims to activate and enhance the function of these remaining follicles using growth factors and cellular regeneration techniques.
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is at the forefront of this research. PRP is a concentrated solution derived from a patient’s blood, rich in platelets, growth factors, and cytokines. These components are known to play vital roles in tissue repair and regeneration. When injected into the ovaries, PRP can help promote angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels), cellular proliferation, and follicular activation, potentially reversing some effects of ovarian aging.(3)
In a retrospective study, women with poor ovarian reserves who received intraovarian PRP injections showed significant improvements in hormone levels, including reduced follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and increased estradiol (E2). These changes suggest enhanced ovarian function, with some participants even achieving natural conception or improved outcomes in assisted reproductive technologies like IVF.(3)(4)
Another study conducted on women with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) reported that PRP injections led to the resumption of menstrual cycles and increased antral follicle counts. These findings indicate that PRP may extend ovarian functionality, particularly in cases where ovarian reserves have prematurely declined.(3)(4)
Despite these encouraging results, the evidence is not yet conclusive. Many studies are small-scale and lack control groups, making it challenging to draw definitive conclusions about PRP’s long-term efficacy.
Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation involves extracting and freezing ovarian tissue, typically the ovarian cortex, which contains a significant portion of primordial follicles. The tissue is carefully preserved using cryoprotectants to prevent ice crystal formation, which can damage cells. Once frozen, the tissue can remain viable for years, offering women the potential to restore ovarian function at a later stage.
The cryopreserved tissue may be thawed and reimplanted into the body through ovarian autotransplantation. This process allows the tissue to resume its natural functions, including hormone production and follicle development. For women approaching menopause, this can effectively delay its onset by restoring endocrine function.(5)
Studies report a global live birth rate of approximately 40% for women who undergo ovarian tissue transplantation. One of the primary advantages of cryopreservation is its ability to provide a natural source of hormone production. Unlike synthetic HRT, which involves synthetic hormones, ovarian tissue transplantation offers endogenous hormone production, potentially reducing the risks associated with long-term HRT use.(5)
However, harvesting ovarian tissue requires surgery, and some studies suggest that removing ovarian tissue in healthy women could lead to an earlier onset of menopause if not balanced by successful transplantation. Additionally, the longevity of transplanted tissue varies, with reported graft functionality lasting anywhere from one to 12 years.
Dietary Modifications to Delay Menopause
Incorporating specific nutrients and food groups into a daily diet can support hormonal balance and ovarian health, potentially delaying menopause.(6)(7)
Plant-Based Foods
Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and legumes are associated with later onset of menopause. These foods contain antioxidants and phytoestrogens — plant compounds that mimic estrogen and help maintain hormonal equilibrium. For example, soy products and flaxseeds are particularly high in phytoestrogens and help promote reproductive health.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Studies indicate that omega-3s may protect ovarian function and reduce the rate of follicular loss, which is crucial for extending reproductive longevity. Fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Proteins and Micronutrients
High-quality proteins from eggs, lean meats, dairy, and plant sources like beans and nuts provide essential amino acids that support overall health. Vitamins like D, E, and B-complex, along with minerals such as zinc and magnesium, are critical for maintaining ovarian function. For instance, vitamin D has been linked to delayed ovarian aging.
Antioxidant-Rich Foods
Berries, dark leafy greens, and green tea are rich in antioxidants that help combat oxidative stress, a major contributor to aging. By reducing oxidative damage, these foods may slow down ovarian follicle depletion and help maintain hormonal balance.
Foods to Avoid
On the other side, certain dietary choices can negatively affect ovarian health and bring menopause closer:
Best Ways to Delay Perimenopause
While approaches like melatonin therapy, ovarian rejuvenation, and cryopreservation offer promising ways to delay menopause, they may not be suitable for everyone. Factors such as age, health history, and personal goals help determine the best course of action. It’s essential to consult a qualified physician to explore options and weigh the benefits and risks, ensuring informed and personalized decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Delaying Menopause
Does birth control delay menopause?
Does HRT delay menopause?
Does exercise delay menopause?
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.
References
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Good Health is Real wealth! READ Contents Information Reviewed on Tropical Diseases and Tropical Herbs Efficacy for treatment and prevention.
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