Herbal Treatments for Hot Flashes

A hot flash is literally the perception that you are hotter than normal. The Mayo Clinic notes that as estrogen is reduced during menopause, its withdrawal may affect the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates body temperature. Your body then reacts as if it really is overheating, releasing heat through sweating and increased blood circulation.

Traditional Treatments

• Hormonal therapy was once the common remedy for menopausal symptoms including hot flashes. However, after studies such as the National Institutes of Health's Women's Health Initiative, which showed that hormonal therapy was associated with a greater risk of heart attack, blood clots, stroke, dementia and certain types of cancer, women have been considering more herbal and natural remedies for hot flashes.

Herbal Treatments

• Black cohosh, red clover and soy are three herbal supplements that may help control hot flashes. Chinese medicine mixtures are another alternative. However, evidence for and against the use of these is lacking. One 2006 study through the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and another published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2002, found black cohosh to be ineffective.

  Increased soy food consumption in Asia has been touted as a reason for the milder menopause symptoms seen in women in those countries. The reason is thought to be the estrogenlike behavior of phytoestrogens and isoflavones in soy foods. However, this implication is based on eating whole soy foods, rather than taking soy or isoflavone supplements. Red clover and other plants contain isoflavones as well, making them candidates for herbal treatments; however, evidence for these as successful remedies is anecdotal.

Cautions

• While isoflavones in soy, red clover and other plants may seem like a good replacement for the estrogen lost during menopause, both the Mayo Clinic and BreastCancer.org note that those same estrogenlike isoflavones may pose a problem for those who've had breast cancer, which in certain cases can be aggravated by estrogen. Consult a doctor before starting any sort of isoflavone supplement or herbal therapy. Soy foods, however, are regarded as safe in moderate amounts.

  In a July 1, 2009, article in The New York Times, Dr. Tod Cooperman of ConsumerLab.com noted that when his company tested herbal menopause treatments, they found one that contained lead, and two that did not contain as much of their active ingredients as their labels said they did.

Alternatives

• The Mayo Clinic notes that treatment for hot flashes isn't needed unless they are disrupting your life. Lifestyle changes and habits may be just as effective in controlling any discomfort. Relaxation, deep breathing and just staying cool through the use of fans, layered clothing and something cold to drink may be enough to handle mild hot flashes. Avoid smoking, as smokers may be more prone to hot flashes than nonsmokers.