Exercise Doesn’t Alleviate Hot Flashes After All

Contrary to what we’ve read (and hoped was true), exercise is not a cure for hot flashes, according to a study whose results were just published in the January issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.  Researchers had hoped to prove that exercise could be an alternative to HRT for women suffering from hot flashes, but apparently, it’s not that simple.  They followed 380 women, average age 42, who walked between 15 minutes and 90 minutes daily for up to five times a week.  (At the beginning of the study, all of the women were not menopausal. By the end, more than half had experienced hot flashes).  The good news is that it’s apparent that even a low level of physical activity helps reduce anxiety and stress. The disappointing news is that like Black Cohosh, exercise doesn’t help hot flashes.