Q&A: What Alternative Therapies Are Available for Hot Flashes and Night Sweats?

Because of the health risks associated with hormone replacement therapy, many women want to know what alternative therapies are available for hot flashes. There are many alternatives available. Some people recommend supplements like vitamin B for hot flashes. Here we look at some herbs and vitamins that can help ease heat and sweat at night. Not all products work for all women, but some products appear to be more effective than others.

What alternative therapies are available for hot flash?

Many studies have been conducted on alternative therapies for heat stroke. Everything from acupuncture to Zoloft has been tested. In this article we focus primarily on herbal and vitamin supplements that have proven to be effective, but the first place to start is with diet, exercise and lifestyle. Caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants can cause heat flashes. Regular exercise seems to reduce the number and frequency of some women. Once you exercise regularly and eat healthy foods, adding herbs and vitamin supplements should relieve you most, if not all of your symptoms.

Is taking B vitamins for hot light work?

According to a recent report published by the University of California, there are clinical trials supporting the effectiveness of vitamin B supplementation for painful menstruation, but there are no specific studies related to the effectiveness of taking B vitamins for hot flashes.

Complex vitamin B is essential for good overall health. Vitamin B3 or Niacin is present in every cell of the body. A small study at Columbia University in New York showed that estrogen levels increased in women after menopausal obesity after administering vitamin regimens including C, B6, B12 and folic acid (another vitamin belonging to the B complex group).

If lowering estrogen levels causes flashes of heat, no one is certain, then this study seems to show that taking B vitamins for hot flashes can be effective for women who are not getting enough in their diet. In general, various daily vitamins should be part of every woman's routine.

What alternative therapies are available for hot flashes and night sweats?

Hot flashes and night sweats are the same, but night sweats can interfere with a woman's sleep quality, which in turn can cause insomnia, irritation and other emotional problems. Most effective products reduce the heat of lightning, work to sweat the night, too. In addition, women have found that sleeping in a cooler room, using a fan and wearing light cotton clothing to bed is helpful.

What alternative therapies are available for a really hot flash?

As mentioned earlier there are many therapies that work for some women. The first step is to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, quit smoking and limit caffeine and alcoholic beverages. The most effective herb for relieving hot flashes, according to clinical research, is black cohosh. Soy isoflavones, which are a plant estrogen type, are almost as effective as black cohosh. Red clover isoflavones have been proven effective in some studies, but not in others. Some supplement companies have products containing some herbs, minerals and other plant components designed to provide the most relief for women with menopausal symptoms.

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