hot flash

ACUFLASH

Posted by Liz on Mar 9, 2009 in hot flash | 0 comments

Researchers are studying whether or not Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture care plus self-care can effectively relieve hot flashes.

The ongoing study, known as the ACUFLASH trial, is examining acupuncture as a complete treatment package, a standardized (rather than haphazard) approach in which following diagnosis, the patient receives treatment in specific points. Each practitioner is also free to add individualized points to treat other symptoms related to the menopause, such as depression, anxiety and  insomnia. Treatment will comprise up to 10 sessions over 12 weeks, and may also include soy, dietary supplements and herbal medicine.

Study participants will receive either acupuncture treatment as described or self care alone (over the counter drugs, self-provided interventions such a soy and herbal supplements). Participants may also  use any additional care such as massage or prescribed medications but these interventions will be followed up, registered, and analyzed accordingly.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture uses diagnostic methods according to principes of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acpunture is believed to affect the autonomic and central nervous systems which directly influence hot flash activity.

Early data looking at patient experiences demonstrates that many women receiving acupuncture treatment have reported substantial impact in terms of a reduction in the frequency and severity of their hot flashes both during the day and at night. They also report better sleep, and improvements in mood.

Sounds very promising, doesn’t it? What’s your experience with acupuncture? Care to share?

Wednesday Bubble: Just say “no”

Posted by Liz on Feb 25, 2009 in bone health, breast cancer, hot flash, HRT, nightsweats | 4 comments

Gonna burst that hormone bubble at least one more time. Seems that the synthetic hormone Livial, which is billed as an alternative to HRT, significantly increases the risk of breast cancer recurrence. Ouch!

Livial is a selective tissue estrogenic regulator (SERM), which mimics estrogen’s activity with regards to strengthening bones. The agent has mostly been marketed in Europe for treatment of hot flashes, night sweats and bone loss, as well as a treatment for osteoporosis.

In a study reported in the current issue of The Lancet Oncology, researchers evaluated the effectiveness of 2.5 mg/day of Livial compared to placebo  in more than 3,000 women with a history of breast cancer. Although the agent had a positive effect symptoms and bone density, the trial was stopped six months early because women taking Livial had a 40% increased risk of having their breast cancer return.

The researchers state that the likely reason for this increase is that Livial interferes with the protective effect of different cancer drugs and might stimulate dormant tumors to become active again.

Clearly, Livial should not be used in women with a history of breast cancer. Then again, with data definitively showing an increased risk of cancer and heart disease with use of hormone therapy, why take a chance to begin with?

What are your thoughts? Is estrogen worth the risk for a few less symptoms? Or are you better off taking an alternative route?

Just when you thought it was safe…

Posted by Liz on Feb 13, 2009 in exercise, hot flash | 1 comment

Researchers now say vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats and sleep disturbances, can last more than five years after menopause ends.

Clearly, this has a lot of implications of how we approach therapeutic interventions for hot flashes and other symptoms, as well as for planning ahead.

In this study, which is published on the advanced online edition of the journal Menopause, data were colllected from 438 menstruating women (ages 45-69 years) and then analyzed over a period of 13 years.

The findings showed that the mean duration of hot flashes over the study period was 5.5 years, regardless of whether or not women had ever used hormone replacement therapy. What’s more, study participants started experiencing hot flashes around age 53, and roughly a quarter of them continued to report having symptoms after the 13 year endpoint.

Importantly, the one factor that was associated with a shorter duration of hot flashes was exercise, with more exercise/physical activity associated with shorter symptom duration.

I’ve posted previously about the benefits of exercise and physical activity, which range from positive effects on bone health, sleep and mood to heart health and of course, overall symptoms. This study suggests an even more important reason to keep moving: slowing and perhaps eliminating menopausal symptoms sooner rather than later.

Move your bodies ladies – the evidence is in and it says it’s safe to step back in, one foot at a time.

Wednesday Bubble: I’d walk a mile

Posted by Liz on Jan 28, 2009 in hot flash, HRT | 0 comments

Fact or fiction? I’ve written previously about the link between cigarette smoking and hot flashes. In fact, the association consistently arises in many of the studies I’ve run across. When I first posted about this, it seemed to push a lot of buttons, primarily because many of my contemporaries, myself included, smoked at one point in our lives.

Hence, I was intrigued when I found this study in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology discussing the underlying cause of the association between cigarette smoking and hot flashes.

In the study, perimenopausal women who were either experiencing or not experiencing hot flashes were asked to complete a questionnaire and provide a blood sample so that researchers could measure their hormones.

The results showed that women who were current smokers had significantly higher levels of androstenedione (a precursor to sex hormones)  and higher ratios of androgens to estrogens than women who never smoked.  Additionally, current smokers had significantly lower levels of progesterone than never smokers.

Nevertheless, while both former and current smokers had increased odds of experiencing hot flashes (1.4 times greater for former and 2.4 times greater for current) than never smokers, this link was not altered or influenced in women who were also taking hormones.

Researchers have long believed that factors that influence estrogen levels, such as a higher body mass index (which increases them) or cigarette smoking (which decreases them) protect against or lead to vasomotor symptoms, respectively. Yet, in this particular study, hormone changes did not weaken the effect of smoking on hot flashes.

These results suggest that the effect of cigarette smoking on hot flashes, while very real and relevant, is not influenced by hormones.

Unanswered questions.  Undoubtedly the bottom line is to stop smoking if you continue to do so, not only for heart and lung health, but also, to help avoid those troublesome hot flashes.

Packin’ the luv…handles

Posted by Liz on Dec 22, 2008 in hot flash | 1 comment

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4pU3_Ia97E]

It seems that that roll around your abdominal area might be increasing your odds of having hot flashes, according to a study published in this past May/June issue of the journal Menopause.

Currently, two competing theories have been used to explain how body fat might affect flashes:

1) Androgens (e.g. testosterone)  influence the distribution of body fat in both men and women. So, it is possible that the conversion of androgens to estrogens in body fat actually decreases hot flashes.

2) Body fat actually increases hot flash frequency regardless of hormonal balance.

To determine which of these two theories was most probable,  a study was undertaken in 461 women (ages 45 to 58) participating in an ancillary study of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. The results? Increased abdominal fat, in particular, fat found just below the skin in the abdominal area, increased the odds of hot flashes by 1.3 times. This association was not reduced when reproductive hormones were measured.

I’ve written previously about the role of adoposity in the metabolic syndrome. And as many of us know who are struggling with middle-aged weight gain (emphasis on “middle”), abdominal rolls become more and more difficult to attack when hormones go awry.

So, the news about abdominal fat and hot flashes is not especially welcome.

What can you do to attack the health risks and nuisance side effects of abdominal fat?

Let’s put one myth to rest immediately:

No specific food  or herb is going to influence where your body stores its fat. And abdominal exercises that claim to “target”  or spot reduce fat, e.g.,  crunches,  do not.

Fewer calories and healthy eating habits, coupled with more aerobic activity and strength training, can help. My friend Mark Salinas, over the MarkSalinasBlog, also has some wonderful tips for weight management and workouts on his site so I encourage you to peruse some of his posts.

Any other tips you’d like to share? Tell me; what do you do to attack those love handles and send em packing? Better yet, have your hot flashes gotten worse with hormonal weight gain?

More great news about needles

Posted by Liz on Dec 19, 2008 in hot flash, sleep disturbance | 4 comments

Tis the Season for needles…pine and otherwise!

Norwegian researchers are reporting that acupuncture plus self-care can reduce the frequency of hot flashes substantially in postmenopausal women! Now that’s a gift I can get my arms around!

In this study, published in the December 4 advanced, online edition of Menopause, 267 postmenopausal women who experienced at least 7 hot flashes every 24 hours for at least 7 consecutive days received:

1) 10 acupuncture treatments plus an informational brochure on self-care for menopause symptoms, or

2) An informational brochure on self-care for menopause symptoms only

The results showed that hot flash frequency decreased by 50% over 24 hours in women receiving acupuncture compared to those who only received self-care instructions. The researchers aso noted significant improvements in vasomotor (e.g. night sweats) , sleep and emotional/psychological  symptoms among women receiving acupuncture.

I’ve written about the value of acupuncture for hot flashes and improved sleep quality previously. I’m glad to see that more evidence is accruing supporting this wonderful, safe modality to improve menopausal symptoms.

The American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is also an excellent source for more information and help finding a qualified practitioner.