More healthcare professionals are including alternative therapies and supplements as part of their treatment options, but they may not always agree on what is the most effective.

Dr Jeffrey Walker, who runs a free clinic for uninsured residents near Fort Wayne, Indiana, told the Journal Gazette that he offers meditation and relaxation therapies like Bowen therapy and Pranic healing to clients, although he is still waiting on medical studies on other treatments.

Likewise, physician Dr Jeff Gladd says he treats some women going through menopause with black cohosh if they do not want to take hormone replacement drugs, as part of efforts to offer integrated medical services, including nutrition and supplements, according to the news provider.

Another potential benefit in using black cohosh could be its effect on osteoporosis, according to researchers from Washington University in St. Louis.

They found that herbal supplements that included the plant could help limit the effects of bone loss in older women who were in menopause in addition to its role as a "popular herbal supplement for the treatment" for other symptoms of the hormonal change.