Perimenopause & Hot Flashes

Herbal Remedy Studies Show Conflicting Results

The results of a Brazilian study from Obstetrics & Gynecology confirmed that "taking 100 mg of soy isoflavone daily may be a safe and effective alternative therapy to relieve menopausal symptoms and also may offer heart protection by lowering cholesterol levels."

Unfortunately, also making big waves was the results of a study, published by Reuters Health, finding that "Red clover extract, advertised as a substitute for hormone therapy, offered menopausal women no more relief from hot flashes than a placebo."
This is rather disheartening news, as many women are looking for natural ways to manage their perimenopausal symptoms.

Early Show medical correspondent, Dr. Emily Senay did a piece on natural remedies for hot flashes. Among the natural remedies mentioned were Soy, black cohosh, red clover, the Chinese herb dong quai, and evening primrose. Unfortunately, scientific studies are, at best, mixed. However, Senay adds, "some women find these remedies really help. In most of the studies, the placebo effect is almost as strong as the real effect with just about every treatment, including HRT."

More Bad News

While there is anecdotal evidence that Evening Primrose Oil, Black Cohosh, Red Clover, and Dong Quai may relieve hot flashes, scientific studies do not support this. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) published a review of randomized, controlled trials performed by the Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, College of Physicians and Surgeons. This review found that only "Black cohosh and foods that contain phytoestrogens showed promise for the treatment of menopausal symptoms." No other herbs impacted the women's hot flashes.

Following up on that line of thought, according to a recent CBS News report, "Soy, black cohosh and red clover have all been the subject of several studies, but the benefits have been limited and the results have been mixed. The Chinese herb dong quai and evening primrose have not been shown to be very effective in studies. "

The results of a study, published by Reuters Health, finding that "Red clover extract, advertised as a substitute for hormone therapy, offered menopausal women no more relief from hot flashes than a placebo"

And recently, a large-scale study of 246 post-menopausal women that appeared in the The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that supplements containing plant-based, estrogen-like substances called isoflavones are no more effective than a placebo pill in reducing hot flashes.

A Personal Experience

"I find hot flashes come for a few weeks, then subside for a while. When suddenly, my internal thermostat zips up to about 450 and I could cook an egg on my face, it's certainly a strange feeling. However, when in the throes of it, I remind myself that they pass. So far, for me, they don't go on interminably. So I just shrug my shoulders and fight with my husband about air conditioning."

Hot Flashes in Perimenopause

Tips for Relief

Other Resources