A Successful Natural Approach to Take the Heat Out of Hot Flashes

Menopausal women around the world suffer from them: hot flashes. For decades hormone replacement therapy was the standard in menopausal symptom relief. However, after health risks related to this type of therapy became apparent, menopausal women began to search for more natural alternatives. Unfortunately, many natural hormone replacement therapy alternatives only offer little relief. Now a new scientific research study has shown one natural treatment method might be quite successful in relieving one of the most bothersome symptoms of menopause: hot flashes. The study was conducted at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), a patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School. The scientists determined a soybean compound to be able to reduce the occurrence and severity of hot flashes by over 50% without negative side effects. The study appeared in the January 2008 issue of the Journal Menopause.

More than 60% of menopausal and pre-menopausal American women suffer from hot flashes. It is the most prevalent symptom of menopause. Hot flashes are defined as a sudden and intense feeling of heat, which is often followed by sweating and a red flushed face. A hot flash can last anywhere from a couple of minutes to thirty minutes. Varying in intensity, hot flashes cannot only be uncomfortable but also embarrassing. The standard hormone replacement therapy treatment had been very effective in treating menopausal symptoms, especially hot flashes. However, in 2002 women became aware of major health risks associated with hormone replacement therapy, such as heart disease, breast cancer, stroke, blood clots, and dementia.