Hi Julie, I sure wish I could answer these questions for you but I simply don't have the medical background to do so. However, I have a book to recommend to you, and you might be able to borrow it from your local library. It's "The Wisdon of Menopause" by Dr.  Christiane Northrup. It was published in 2006 by Bantam Books. Dr. Northrup has just the right combination of medical advice and sensitivity about which natural remedies are worth trying and which are not. Actually she likes natural remedies a lot but she also is a realist about what they can and cannot do. I hope you are able to get the book; I believe it will answer a lot of your questions. Good luck, Toni