HOT FLASHES

Approximately 50.3% to 82.1% of women going through menopause experience hot flashes and night sweats. (21) To help manage symptoms, 40-50% of women rely on the use of complementary therapies such as plant-based supplements. (8)

Plant compounds called phytoestrogens have been found to have similar structures and functions when compared to the hormones within humans. (1) Estradiol is an estrogen steroid hormone that naturally drops throughout a woman’s life cycle. Decreases in estradiol levels create vasomotor instability, which contributes to hot flashes. Utilizing plant compounds is theorized to help compensate for the esatradiol drops through a woman’s life cycle. (1)

Lower rates of postmenopausal symptoms have been observed in Asian women. This is thought to be due to the high dietary intake of soybeans, which contain isoflavones. Isoflavones are thought to work as a phytoestrogen and have a high binding affinity to estrogen beta receptors. (5) This sheds light on the mechanism behind how phytoestrogens are able to reduce hot flash frequency and vaginal dryness scores. (8)

Based on the current research findings, the ingredients in the protocol below have demonstrated efficacy in improving hot flashes associated with menopause.

Isoflavones

40-80 mg, total isoflavones per day (dosing varies based on isoflavone), minimum 12 weeks (14)(19)(5)(7)(15)

• A meta-analysis of 17 trials found reduced frequency (20.6%) and severity (26.2%) of hot flashes when compared to placebo; further analysis found isoflavones with 18.8 mg of genistein were twice as effective for reducing frequency of hot flashes (18)
• Daidzein-rich isoflavone supplementation in doses of 40 mg and 60 mg improved frequency of hot flashes by 43% and 41% after 8 weeks, and 52% and 51% after 12 weeks, respectively, when compared to 32% and 39% with placebo, without any alteration of endogenous sex hormones or thyroid hormones (14)
• For acute menopausal symptoms, 60 mg of isoflavones for six weeks decreased hot flashes by 57% and night sweats by 43%, with no other changes in serum levels of lipoproteins, estradiol, and follicular stimulating hormones when compared to that of placebo (5)
• Mean number of hot flushes decreased by 36.2% and 41.2 % in treatment group compared to 24.0% and 29.3% with placebo at week 6 and 12, respectively (7)
• Red clover isoflavones decreased Kupperman Index score at three months and number of hot flushes at one month compared to that of placebo, with no effects on cardiovascular risk markers (15)
• Hot flush frequency decreased in a pooled mean analysis when compared to that of placebo while having no statistically significant reported side-effects (4)

St. John's wort