Fourth, there is evidence that the phytoestrogens genistein and daidzein can stimulate breast cancer growth (10). Third, soy also contains anti-nutrients such as saponins, phytates, and protease inhibitors, which can affect digestion. Second of all, soy is a goitrogen, and so eating a lot of soy can potentially inhibit thyroid function, which might not be an issue for those with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease, but it can be problematic for those with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. First of all, most of the soy is genetically modified. However, these compounds also can have anti-estrogenic effects.Īlthough soy might benefit some people with hot flashes, I’d be cautious about taking soy supplements or consuming large amounts of foods which contain soy. The reason why soy can potentially help some women is because it contains the compounds genistein and daidzein, which are phytoestrogens, and thus can mimic the action of estrogen. However, other studies show that soy isoflavones don’t help with hot flashes, and in some cases might even lead to an increase in hot flashes (9). I’ve seen this work with some of my patients, as while I don’t personally recommend soy isoflavone supplements, I’ve had a few patients take these on their own, and they do seem to help in some cases. There is evidence that soy isoflavone supplements derived from extraction or chemical synthesis can help to reduce both the frequency and severity of hot flashes (8). I don’t recommend taking medication to manage hot flashes, but there are natural options to help increase serotonin levels, which I’ll discus later in this article. This is why numerous studies have shown that serotonin-reuptake inhibitors can help with hot flashes (6) (7). Estrogen modulates the serotonin receptors in the brain (4) (5), and so the low estrogen levels can in turn cause low serotonin levels. Low levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin also can be a factor in hot flashes. ![]() And if someone is dealing with a lot of stress over a prolonged period of time, this can lead to decreases in both estrogen and progesterone, which can be a contributing factor when it comes to hot flashes. With regards to hot flashes, I think most healthcare professionals would agree that there is a physiological component involved, but of course chronic stress doesn’t just lead to emotional disturbances, as it also affects the physiology. And sometimes stress is used as an excuse by some healthcare professionals with certain conditions when they don’t know what’s causing the problem. I know this might be frustrating to some people reading this, as stress seems to be related to every condition. While later in this article I’ll discuss some nutrients and herbs which can help with hot flashes, in many cases chronic stress is the culprit. As a result, if someone is dealing with chronic stress, this can result in lower estrogen levels. In addition, as women get older, the adrenals become a greater source of the sex hormones. The symptoms of hot flashes women experience are due to spikes of epinephrine (adrenaline), and this is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. So while taking bioidentical estrogen is an option to be considered, in most cases it shouldn’t be the primary option. And even when low estrogen levels are the culprit, there are risks involved with taking bioidentical estrogen. Although taking estrogen can help greatly with many cases of hot flashes, low estrogen levels alone are not responsible for hot flashes, as estrogen levels do not differ between symptomatic and asymptomatic women (2) (3). Dysfunction of central thermoregulatory centers caused by changes in estrogen levels at the time of menopause has long been postulated to be the cause of hot flashes (1). ![]() A feeling of warmth throughout the upper body and faceĪlthough hot flashes are common in perimenopause and in postmenopausal women due to the decline in estrogen, some cycling women experience hot flashes as well.I’d first like to mention some of the common symptoms of hot flashes, as these can include the following: The goal of this article is to discuss some of the common causes of hot flashes, and discuss some of the treatment methods which can help with them. On the other hand, in some women the hot flashes are severe and might interfere with their daily life, and even make it difficult to sleep at night. For those women who experience hot flashes, sometimes these are very mild. Just as is the case with any other symptom, the severity of hot flashes can vary greatly from person to person. Hot flashes are a common symptom among those with thyroid and autoimmune thyroid conditions.
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