The effect of dietary intake on hot flashes in menopausal women.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the relation between dietary intake and menopausal hot flashes.

DESIGN

Two studies are reported: a controlled, repeated-measures study and a descriptive study.

SETTING

The controlled study was conducted in a general clinical research center of a large Midwestern university. The descriptive study was conducted in a metropolitan community in the Southwest.

PARTICIPANTS

Ten healthy symptomatic postmenopausal women participated in the controlled study and 21 symptomatic women completed the observational study.

INTERVENTIONS

The controlled study included a 30-hour intensive blood sampling protocol of two sequential experimental phases with an observational phase between them. In the observational phase, each participant served protocol-specific meals and snacks at predetermined times.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Skin conductance monitoring provided continual assessment while blood glucose levels were analyzed every 30 minutes in the controlled study.

RESULTS

Eating provided a hot flash-free period that averaged 90 minutes in both studies. Also, hot flash frequency increased as time between meals increased.

CONCLUSIONS

Our evidence indicates that hot flash frequency is suppressed after eating, while hot flashes are experienced when blood glucose falls between meals. Nursing interventions aimed at maintaining stability in blood glucose level may be effective in reducing menopausal hot flashes.