Hot flashes the Quick & Dirty

• Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the #1 solution indicated for vasomotor changes

• Hot flashes can happen at any age (to any gender) – not just in perimenopause or at menopause

• Talk to your naturopath or other regulated healthcare provider about your options

Why are hot flashes so common in perimenopause?

When estrogen drops or bounces around erratically in perimenopause...

Your hypothalamus feels it.

• Estrogen influences the hypothalamus, the brain’s control center for regulating body temperature. With stable estrogen levels, the hypothalamus keeps the body temperature within a comfortable range, known as the thermoregulatory zone.

Your thermoregulatory zone becomes narrower.

• The brain becomes more sensitive to minor changes in body temperature.

• Even a slight rise in core temperature (like from drinking hot tea or entering a warm room) triggers the body to release heat quickly, leading to sudden dilation of blood vessels (vasodilation) and increased sweating.

Serotonin is affected

• Estrogen both regulates the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase (which converts tryptophan into serotonin) and increases the expression and sensitivity of serotonin receptors. Making estrogen essential to improving how efficiently serotonin signals are transmitted in the brain.

Serotonin and mood changes

• Higher estrogen levels correlate with increased serotonin activity and improved mood and emotional stability.

Serotonin and hot flashes

• Serotonin plays a role in body temperature regulation as well as mood. Disturbing serotonin contributes to temperature instability and triggering hot flashes.

Blood vessels become more reactive.

• Since estrogen makes blood vessels flexible. A drops makes vasodilation (widening of blood vessels) happen too quickly resulting in a flash of warmth followed by sweating as the body tries to cool itself down. (1)

Reduce hot flashes triggers – in the moment triggers.

1. Aim to reduce alcohol (especially red wine), caffeine, hot beverages.

2. Be ready when sudden environmental temperature changes like coming in from the cold.

3. Make it a daily goal to reduce overall stress.

4. Focus on exercise recovery after each workout.

Long-term, how to reduce possible hot flashes

1. Eat fish, consider an omega-3 supplement to support blood vessels

2. Recover adequately from exercise to reduce the stress of over-training

3. Quit smoking cigarettes

4. Aim to be healthy body weight

5. Support your adrenal glands and cortisol levels – talk to your naturopathic doctor about how certain supplements may be useful to you

Whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s or 50 and beyond, you can take actions to support your changing monthly estrogen levels and/or perimenopausal estrogen transitions.

See you naturopathic doctor to talk about hormones, estrogen, cortisol, adaptogens and how to prepare foe a smooth perimenopause.

A great resource for menopause