Sedentary lifestyle and hot flashes in menopause
Hot flashes, one of the most common symptoms of the menopause transition, not only interfere with a woman’s quality of life, but are also associated with a variety of health problems.
A new study suggests that sedentary behavior may increase the likelihood of nighttime hot flashes. The results of the study were presented during the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) in Washington, DC, September 22-25, 2021.
About 80% of women report experiencing hot flashes. Some data suggest that a greater number and severity of hot flashes are related to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Sedentary behavior , which is often more prevalent as women age, is also linked to an increased risk of heart disease. However, few studies have evaluated the effect of sedentary behavior on the experience of hot flashes. The studies that have been conducted relied largely on self-reports and did not consider objective measures of hot flashes or sedentary behavior.
This new study, which includes pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women , aimed to determine whether objectively measured sedentary behavior is a predictor of the objective and subjective experience of hot flashes.
Preliminary results from the study indicate that sedentary behavior does, in fact, predict objective nighttime hot flashes, regardless of time spent engaging in moderate to vigorous activity.
"Given that women approaching the menopausal transition spend a large portion of their daily activities engaging in sedentary behaviors, it is important to understand how that behavior influences menopausal hot flashes," says Dr. Sarah Witkowski, a physiologist at practice at Smith College and co-author of the study. "Knowledge about the influence of sedentary behavior on hot flashes may improve evidence-based lifestyle recommendations for women experiencing hot flashes."
“With such a large proportion of women affected by hot flashes, research that helps identify triggers or risk factors is always valuable,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director of NAMS. "Healthcare professionals should review a patient’s physical activities and routines when considering treatment options."
New therapies offer hope for managing menopausal hot flashes
The presentation discussed treatments for non-hormonal vasomotor symptoms on the horizon
Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause, affecting approximately 75% to 80% of women. They can negatively affect a woman’s quality of life by disrupting sleep and mood and can have more serious health consequences.
A presentation at the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, September 22-25, 2021, reviewed several non-hormonal therapies currently under investigation for the management of hot flashes.
Recent studies have shown that vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) can last, on average, 7 to 10 years and can sometimes last even longer in women whose symptoms began in perimenopause. While some women only have mild hot flashes, others may have more bothersome symptoms that can lead to problems with lower bone density and subclinical cardiovascular disease.
The good news is that several therapies are currently being investigated for the management of vasomotor symptoms. Dr. Stephanie Faubion, NAMS medical director, will highlight some of the most promising therapies that are already approved for other indications and others that represent novel compounds that are not yet approved by the government.
Newer options include:
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“These and other new alternatives provide hope to millions of women suffering from hot flashes,” says Dr. Faubion. "It is important that healthcare professionals can individualize treatment for their patients and offer options for symptom management."
Can a history of migraines cause more intense hot flashes in postmenopausal women?
A new study suggests that neurovascular dysregulation may explain the link between migraine and hot flashes, as well as its association with heart disease.
Migraines affect women more than men. Hormones appear to be a key reason. Fluctuating hormone levels can also cause hot flashes. A new study links a history of migraines and hot flashes and highlights the fact that both could be associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
Migraine has a strong female predominance, affecting approximately 20% of women. Hormones are thought to play an important role in triggering migraine, which helps explain why women experience more migraine-related symptoms compared to men.
Migraines are also associated with cardiovascular events and mortality in women in the same way that vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes) appear to be a biomarker of heart disease.
A previous study investigated the association between migraines and hot flashes and found that a history of migraines predicted an increased frequency of hot flashes in women during the menopause transition. This new study coming out of the Mayo Clinic continues that research and further examines a potential link between a history of migraines and hot flashes, as well as their possible association with an increased risk of heart disease.
This new study involved more than 3,300 women , 27% of whom reported a history of migraine. Study participants were, on average, 52.8 years old, predominantly white (94.5%), college-educated (93%), partnered (84.9%), and postmenopausal (66.6%).
After an adjusted analysis, the study found that women with a history of migraines had significantly worse menopausal symptoms and were more likely to have severe or very severe hot flashes compared to women without a history of migraines.
Additionally, the study found that while women with low back pain also had worse menopausal symptoms, overall, they were no more likely to have experienced severe/very severe hot flashes, confirming the specificity of the link between hot flashes and migraines. .
"We believe that neurovascular dysregulation may explain the link between migraines and hot flashes, as well as the association of each with cardiovascular disease in women," says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director of NAMS and lead author of the study.
“Given the high prevalence of migraine in women, this association may help identify women who are at risk for more severe hot flashes in midlife. More studies are needed to determine whether the combination of a history of migraine and hot flashes in midlife predicts a higher risk of heart disease than alone and whether these woman-specific factors could be used to improve the accuracy of heart disease risk calculations. CVD for women.
More women using cannabis for menopausal symptoms
New study documents that a high percentage of women have tried cannabis to help manage menopause symptoms
The legalization of cannabis in many areas has led to its use to treat a variety of health problems. Of those surveyed in a study at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, one in three women near the menopause transition uses cannabis; most for medical purposes and overlap with the treatment of menopausal symptoms.
Although the concept of using cannabis to manage various menopausal symptoms is not new, little research has been done to date to document exactly how many women currently use it specifically for menopause-related medical purposes.
This new study from the University of Alberta sought to examine rates and patterns of cannabis use and its perceived effectiveness in managing symptoms that overlap with menopause. Cannabis has been fully legalized in Canada since 2018.
The study researchers analyzed responses from nearly 1,500 women living in the province of Alberta, of whom 18% were premenopause, 33% were perimenopause, 35% were postmenopause and a small percentage had undergone a hysterectomy and/or bilateral. oophorectomy.
Of the women studied, approximately one-third (33%) reported using cannabis in the past 30 days and 65% reported ever using cannabis. Current cannabis rates were similar between different stages of menopause.
Of the 499 current cannabis users, 75% reported using it for medical purposes. The most common reasons for current use include: sleep problems (65%), anxiety (45%), muscle/joint pain (33%), irritability (29%), and depression (25%).
Three-quarters of current users found that cannabis helped relieve their symptoms.
Additionally, researchers documented that women who used cannabis were more likely than non-users to report sleep problems, mood problems (such as depression, mood swings, irritability, and anxiety), difficulty concentrating, muscle/joint pain. and painful sexual relations.
Edibles (52%) and oils (47%) were the most used cannabis formulations. The most common sources of information about cannabis for medical purposes were Internet searches (46%) and family/friends (34%).
"Our study confirmed that a large percentage of middle-aged women use cannabis for symptoms that overlap with menopause, especially those women who reported more symptoms," says Katherine Babyn, a Master of Science student at the University of Alberta and first author of the study. abstract. "In addition, many of these women report that they get relief from their symptoms through cannabis use." The study was funded by an operating grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).
“While we continue to learn that more women are using cannabis to help manage their menopausal symptoms, more research is required to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of cannabis for managing menopausal symptoms,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion , medical director of NAMS.
