Perimenopause/menopause & regular exercise

[shootingstar]

Exercise can be a double edged sword. It definitely helps with anxiety & depression. It also reduces body fat. Women with lower body fat levels tend to flash more because estrogen is stored in body fat. Therefore, the dips in estrogen and resulting flashing are more pronounced in women who have lower body fat percentages.

Got any article that we could read up more on this? ie. women with lower body fat will tend to flash more if their estrogen is lower. Still would plan to engage in some form of exercise anyway.

Although my symptoms are incredibly minor, don't envy some other women who do experience it in a major way. ie. our receptionist who has flashes hot enough that she does pump the AC and it affects some offices. But she is a person that does undertake physical work in part of her job and she exercises more regularily.

Another woman I know who used to be a intensive care nurse, flashed bad enough that she turned red in face from sweating. The head honcho of the organization, asked her what was wrong...

[Possegal]

actually, differing opinions on the idea that thinner=more flashes. see study here, where more abdominal adipose = more flashes.
Menopause. 2008 May-Jun;15(3):429-34
CONCLUSION: Increased abdominal adiposity, particularly subcutaneous adiposity, is associated with increased odds of hot flashes, favoring thermoregulatory models of hot flashes. Body fat may not protect women from hot flashes as once thought.

[Dogmama]

actually, differing opinions on the idea that thinner=more flashes. see study here, where more abdominal adipose = more flashes.
Menopause. 2008 May-Jun;15(3):429-34
CONCLUSION: Increased abdominal adiposity, particularly subcutaneous adiposity, is associated with increased odds of hot flashes, favoring thermoregulatory models of hot flashes. Body fat may not protect women from hot flashes as once thought.

I did not know that.

[Possegal]

scientists - we're always looking to refute someone else's report. it looks like there is evidence on both sides, so who knows what the real answer is.

[arielmoon]

Hot flashes are more like an internal heat. Just being hot is due to external circumstances. I get 8-10 in a 24 hours period. Night sweats are the worst.

Exercise can be a double edged sword. It definitely helps with anxiety & depression. It also reduces body fat. Women with lower body fat levels tend to flash more because estrogen is stored in body fat. Therefore, the dips in estrogen and resulting flashing are more pronounced in women who have lower body fat percentages.

That is very interesting. I dont have very much body fat...

I just turned 40 but had one ovary removed 5 years ago. I started having hot flashes about 2 or so years ago and my periods are several months apart. I havent had one since August. My hot flashes seem to be rather mild and I dont notice them when doing chores at the barn or riding. Mostly they bother me when I am sitting at my desk but they do seem to be less frequent now that the weather has changed.

The night sweats were the worst- but I havent had them in quite some time. My doc wanted me to go on birth control and gave me an e-ring sample but I never used it. I had been trying various natural remedies and lotions but I couldnt tell a difference. Acupuncture helped a little as far as I can tell. I just bought some Estroven (btw I found a $3 off coupon for it online!) this week and I am hoping that helps.

[Raindrop]

I didn't have a lot of perimenopausal symptoms, probably because I always had nasty periods, (i.e. extremely heavy, lasting seven days, mood swings and mid-cycle ovary pain), so when those things started lessening, it was a relief.

Right now I haven't had a period since March, and I've been experiencing hot flashes for the last year or so. (I'd compare them to the feeling one gets when really, really embarrassed).

My bodyfat is very low and I am a personal trainer as well as teaching seven Spinnning/indoor cycling classes a week...not including my own workouts and weight-training so I don't know...perhaps the hot flashes would be unbearable if I wasn't so active..who knows??

I have gotten accupunture (for another issue entirely) and one of the side-effects was to have the hot flashes disappear for a month. Nice!

[divingbiker]

I just bought some Estroven (btw I found a $3 off coupon for it online!) this week and I am hoping that helps.

Hope you have the great success with Estroven that I did. Another OTC option my endocrinologist suggested was Promensil, if Estroven doesn't do the trick.

[arielmoon]

Hope you have the great success with Estroven that I did. Another OTC option my endocrinologist suggested was Promensil, if Estroven doesn't do the trick.

Thanks! I decided to try Estroven after reading this thread!