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

Full Abstract

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.

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Author information

Author/s: Dormire, Sharon (S); Howharn, Chularat (C);

Affiliation: School of Nursing, The University of Texas, Austin, TX 78701-1499, USA. sdormire(-atsign-)mail.nur.utexs.edu

Grants: 5-R01-AG15083 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; 5T32NR07074-08 (Agency:NINR NIH HHS) ; M01-RR00042 (Agency:NCRR NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of obstetric, gynecologic, and neonatal nursing : JOGNN / NAACOG (J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2007 May-Jun; vol 36 (issue 3) : pp 255-62

Dates: Created 2007/05/10; Completed 2007/08/23; Revised 2007/12/03;

PMID: 17489931, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Blood Glucose - analysis
Diet - methods
Diet Surveys
Feeding Behavior
Female

Health Behavior
Hot Flashes - prevention & control
Humans
Middle Aged
Postmenopause - metabolism
Women's Health

Associated Chemicals: Blood Glucose (0)

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