Hot flashes (also known as vasomotor symptoms) are defined as a sudden feeling of warmth affecting face, neck and chest, which is typically associated with the changing hormone levels around menopause. Hot flashes can also cause profuse sweating, rapid heartbeat and last from several minutes up to an hour. The hot-flash event may be repeated a few times each week or every few minutes throughout the day. Hot flashes may begin to appear several years before menopause starts and last for years afterwards. Severe hot flashes can cause insomnia which in turn can affect mood, impair concentration, and cause other physical problems. Up to 85% of women have hot flashes with widely varying intensity and frequency.
Although in most women hot flashes occur spontaneously, some women report triggers that affect the frequency and/or severity of hot flashes. These include alcohol, caffeinated beverages, hot drinks, hot and spicy food, hot weather, and emotional stress.
The exact nature of hot flashes is still poorly understood. Presumably, the primary cause of hot flashes is a declining level of estrogen. However, the direct triggering mechanism of hot flashes is the impairment of estrogen-dependent temperature regulation in a region of the brain known as the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
Typical therapies of hot flashes include:
1. Life style modifications
Lifestyle modification is the first step in managing menopausal symptoms. Women who are overweight with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m2 are more than twice as likely to experience moderate to severe hot flashes compared to women whose BMI is less than 25 kg/m2. Cigarette smoking also increases the frequency and severity of hot flashes. In addition, regular aerobic exercise and balanced diet also help in dealing with hot flashes.
2. Traditional western therapy
Hormone replacement therapy
Hormone therapy is very effective for treating hot flashes. The best time to use hormone therapy is right when menopausal symptoms start. Using the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration is the best approach. The duration of treatment should be limited to about 5 years. Longer duration treatment is associated with increased risk of breast cancer, stroke, and dementia as well as other potentially serious short-term and long-term risks. When discontinuing hormone therapy, taper over several months to reduce discontinuation symptoms.
Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM)
SERMs are a category of drugs that act selectively as agonists or antagonists on the estrogen receptors throughout the body. A typical example of SERM is tamoxifen, a drug used in the treatment of some types of breast cancer.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)
SSRIs are a class of antidepressants most commonly used in the treatment of depression, and some personality disorders. They have been found to be efficient in alleviating hot flashes. However, their administration is associated with quite a few side effects. In addition, they carry an addictive potential.
3. Complementary therapy
In general, complementary therapy can be as effective as traditional western therapy for hot flash control but with fewer side effects.
The typical complementary remedies useful for hot flash control include:
Phytoestrogens or “plant estrogens”: the three main groups of phytoestrogens are isoflavones (soy, chickpeas or garbanzo, red clover, lentil, beans), lignans (for example, flaxseed), and coumestans (red clover, sunflower seeds, sprouts). Phytoestrogens are not structurally related to estrogen but bind to estrogen receptors. Phytoestrogens are 100 to 10,000 times weaker than endogenous (produced on your own) estrogen. Since phytoestrogens have estrogenic effects, they may increase the risk of breast cancer or have other adverse effects similar to prescription estrogen. People with breast cancer, a history of breast cancer, or a family history of breast cancer should avoid or use phytoestrogens cautiously.
Black Cohosh and Chasteberry: are popular herbs to treat hot flashes but they also have estrogen-like effects and should be avoided in women with a history of breast cancer.
In our practice at IFSMED, we developed a protocol utilizing Pregnenolone, Succinic Acid and Vitamin C/Rosehip Blend which efficiently reduces the burden of hot flashes.
Pregnenolone: a universal precursor of the steroid hormones which is produced in our body from cholesterol. In addition to its hormonal function, it stimulates specific receptors in the brain. Pregnenolone not only controls hot flashes but also improves energy, vision, memory, clarity of thinking, wellbeing, and often sexual enjoyment or libido. Administration of Pregnenolone should be performed under periodic control of the blood levels of adrenal and sex steroid hormones.
Succinic Acid: a product of the citric cycle is known to optimize estrogen metabolism, normalize bone mass and stabilize mood. To enhance the beneficial effect of Succinic Acid on hot flashes, it is frequently combined with Vitamin C and rosehip extract.
Company Name: Gluten Free Remedies
Contact Person: Kate Kurt
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Phone: 858-794-9192
Address:4125 Sorrento Valley Blvd suite A
City: San Diego
State: CA
Country: United States
Website: https://store.ifsmed.com/
