Flax Seed for Hot Flashes?
I mentioned several weeks ago that I had begun a daily regimen of Black Cohosh, Flax Seed and Fish Oil. I’m happy to report that the hot flashes that I had been experiencing for more than a year have completely stopped. Based on everything I’ve read, I attributed this to the Black Cohosh, while the Flax Seeds have undoubtedly benefited me in other ways. But a new study suggests that it could have been the flax seed after all.
Granted, the study, reported in the Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology, was small - 21 women participated – but the results were promising. Each participant ate four tablespoons of crushed flaxseed daily for six weeks (double what I am presently taking). Half of them had a drop in hot-flash frequency and the study concluded that “this reduction is greater than what would be expected with a placebo.”
Even if Flax Seed does not eliminate hot flashes, the plant, which contains Omega 3s, Lignans and Fiber, certainly has other benefits that make it worth taking including;
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Lowering cholesterol
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Stabilizing blood sugar
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Reducing certain inflammations
In fact, it’s being called a new wonder food that may help fight a number of diseases from breast cancer to diabetes and heart disease.
Since our bodies can’t breakdown whole flaxseed, purchase it already ground (I found organic ground flaxseed at Whole Foods) and stir them in yogurt or smoothies. If you like to bake, you can also add ground flaxseed to muffins and breads. You’ll find lots of recipes using Flax as an ingredient in Elaine MaGee’s “The Flax Cookbook” and in “The Amazing Flax Cookbook” by Jane Reinhardt.
Hi Robin – I wrote about this latest study in October – here’s a link: http://www.menopausetheblog.com/2011/10/17/flax-seed-if-you-think-it-will-help-with-hot-flashes-it-just-might/. I concluded that flaxseed is certainly worth a try if you haven’t found anything else that works and you don’t want to take hormone therapy. You can decide for yourself. Flaxseed offers so many health benefits that there’s no downside in testing it as a remedy for hot flashes. Thanks for your comment.
thanks for the blog! i was quite excited about starting the flax seed treatment for my hot flashes, then i saw there had been a follow up study…http://www.webmd.com/menopause/news/20110607/flaxseed-may-be-no-help-for-hot-flashes
i’m still going to try it, but a lot less enthused now ;(
Hi Karen – I haven’t tried acupuncture myself, but I’m glad to hear that it works for you. There are recent studies showing that it does help some women, but it’s not a sure thing unfortunately.
I am going to try flaxseed. I am getting a lot of benefit from acupuncture, both by reducing hotflashes and curing my hotflash related insomnia. I am now off HRT. Anyone else trying acupuncture?
I love hearing when someone is certain that a natural remedy has indeed helped them. It’s great that you’ve found relief from hot flashes this way. I think I’ll up my daily dosage to 4 tbs like you.
thanks for sharing your story.
I was having terrible hot flashes 10 to 12 per hour and I was becoming exhausted and was already taking a women’s fish oil/evening primrose oil blend, and exercising etc…well I added ground flax, if its fresh it tastes like nothing really, I started adding it to my yogourt, and adding to all my baking. (dont add it to ground meats though, it will swell and stiffen it and my meatloaf was like rubber!) I also add it to my toast and peanut butter, about a tbsp at a time, now I also add two tbsps to my mid-morning oat bran, and I maybe get 5 or 6 hot flashes a day and they don’t even make me sweat anymore! but I need at least 3 or 4 tablespoons for it to work. I also drink Fennel tea (made with fennel seeds) this tastes and smells like licorice and it definitely helps with the “heat factor” of hot flahes. I tried NOT taking anything for 3 days, they came back big time. now I know the flax and evening primrose oil/fish oil blend is working, and I’ll stick with it!
Thanks for sharing your personal prescription for getting through menopause. It sounds like you’ve really made a commitment to staying healthy and feeling well. I’d love to hear from others about daily regimens (diet, supplements, exercise etc) that have been working for them.
Hi, I’m 47 years old and I’m going through menopause I’ve found these things that I do to help me with hot flashes and night sweats and I wanted to pass this information along.
I take a one a day women’s multi vitamin. I take one vitamin c tablet and I take one Omega (3-6-9) fish oil pill a day.
I use ground flax seed mixed in my foods like mashed potato,pastas,gravy,puddings, cheese sauces, salads and yogurt etc.
I use only two teaspoons of ground flax seed a day.
I use the ground flax seed only twice a day in the morning I use one teaspoon in my granola yogurt and Then I put two teaspoons in my food I eat for supper.
I drink plenty of water and I drink two cups of decaffeinated green tea a day and I only drink one cup of Black Earl Grey Tea. I drink quite a bit of Arizona green tea with ginseng and honey through out the day.
I walk on the tread mill two miles ,I bike two miles and I do floor exercises. I do this everyday.
I Meditate (Deep Breathing exercises) before I go to bed and I also take One Calcium Magnesium Zinc tablet before I go to sleep.
I wasn’t able to sleep because of the night sweats and doing everything I’ve listed helps me during the day and at night so I don’t have the hot flashes and the night sweats.
I get a good nights sleep do to my good eating habits, Meditating, Exercising Taking 3 teaspoons of Ground Flax Seed, A Women’s One A Day vitamin, Taking One Fish oil (3-6-9 ) capsule, Taking a Vitamin C Tablet , one Calcium Magnesium Zinc Tablet, The Arizona Green Tea with Ginseng and Honey and The Celestial Decaffeinated Green Tea Mandarin Orange Tea have truly helped me with menopause.
I hope this information may help some other person going through menopause.
Just keeping a positive attitude, exercising and meditating truly do help and everything else I listed above that I do.
Good luck to everyone out there going through menopause and maybe you’ll have the same good luck that I have had.
Keep a smile on your faces and may the angels keep us save and healthy.
God bless everyone and have a nice day.
Wow – that’s a lot of flax seed! And exercise. And green tea. I’m glad to hear that this formula is working for you. With all that exercise, you must sleep well too.
Thanks for your comment!
I’m only 46 and I’m going through menopause and I’ve been taking calcium magnesium zinc tablets twice a day and I put ground flax seed in my salads or I mix it in my rice and in my hot oatmeal or in my mashed potato and in my pasta sauces I pretty much mix it in everything and I use two tablespoons of ground flax seed and I don’t get hot flashes and night sweats any more and I’m able to get a good nights sleep. I don’t mix the flax seed in my husbands food I only mix it in my food I give myself.I also walk on the treadmill three miles a day and I do floor exersizes and I have a portable bike and I bike Five miles. I find exersizing helps with controlling the hot flahes. I also drink three cups of decafinated green tea a day and I drink a lot of water and only one cup of coffee a day. I also drink one cup of cranberry pomegrante juice too. Doing all of these things have helped me with menopause.
Thanks for the tip Laura. I take fish oil regularly and it hasn’t helped with hot flashes. Maybe I’m not taking enough. I’m up the dose and hope for the best!
Hi Everyone, I see a lot of people commenting about flax seed and I never really tried that for hot flashes, but I have been taking Fish Oil, Omega 3 and 6, 1200mg twice a day, and it has greatly reduced my hot flashes that were so miserable when I was turning 50. I was getting over 25 a day and my neighbor recommended Fish Oil which really worked for her. It worked wonders for me too, I barely have 1 hot flash a day anymore. You need to take it for awhile though, I had tried a couple different types and it seemed some don’t work as well as others, but found that Natures Bounty Fish Oil, 1200mg that I buy from Walgreens is really working well, odorless and no fish burps! If you haven’t tried it, you should because that is the ONLY thing that worked for me after trying so many other things to try and relieve hot flashes which were so miserable, and now I feel so normal again!
Hi RR- I put a tablespoon of ground flax seed in my yogurt every morning along with berries and sometimes brown rice puffs. So, I don’t taste the ground flax seed at all. I wonder if it’s the particular brand you’re using. I like Flax USA, which you can sometimes find at Costco. Or you can buy it directly on their website. (Read my earlier blogposts on the farmers behind this company.) Whole Foods carries Spectrum which is good too. Try another brand before giving up on it because I know ground flax seed is good for you in many ways, even if it doesn’t cure hot flashes.
OMG! How do you get past the horrible taste of flaxseeds? My night sweats are intolerable and I could just about eat the bark off a tree if it would help eliminate those. But …. I can’t do the flaxseeds. I bought gound flaxseeds and mixed in strawberry yogurt (which I LOVE). I forced myself to eat it, but I wanted to throw up after every bite. Can’t tolerate the taste.
I was told about flaxseed by my sister. I have HOTFLASHES YOU COULD COOK A STEAK ON ME I SWEAR. I also have Diabetes, total hystorectomy at 36 (now 45 ) was on homone meds. Lowest dose possible. I have seizures and just found out I have 3 TIAs and one substantial old stroke in my brain. No more meds for me. SO PLEASE DON’T USE HORMONE MEDS. I have been drinking soy milk and using a powdered soy suppliment for my hotflashes. The black cohosh makes be sick so I’m going to give the flaxseed a try. I hope this helps it seems to have helped allot of women. ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN HORMONE THEROPY. I have a heart murmur we’re not 100% sure where the clots are coming from but I ‘m on dbl asprin, cholestrol, and blood pressure meds now. I have my diabetes in control and all my blood work was great last week. So if I can get the Hotflashes under control I’d be thrilled. No more ice packs on my head. People are starting to talk. Hope this helps.
Has anyone ever noticed flax seed CAUSING hot flashes? I thought I would try them to balance out my hormones. I’m 38, but most of my life had terrible moody PMS, menstrual headaches and sometimes bad acne before my period. My mom has high testosterone and was told to take flax to help with that. I know acne can be a high testosterone signal. It seems like every time I try flax daily for a while I start having hot flashes. Why does it seem to work opposite for me? By the way, I also use progesterone cream during the luteal phase. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated, since everything I read says flax helps, not causes hot flashes.
Hi Kim – I’m not familiar with Nutrilite black cohosh, but when it comes to knowledge about natural supplements and botanicals, I suggest that you consult a naturopathic doctor or an herbalist. They can provide the guidance you need for determining what and how much of anything you should take, especially if you’re at risk for blood clots.
After several years of just “suffering through” the hot flashes (frequently accompanied by panic attacks and claustraphobia, particularly if I am on public transportation when they hit) in more and more frequent number for 5 years now.
I am extremely cautious about what I will/will not take. I have had a DVT and cannot take HRT, ever. A friend who has exactly the same problem for the same reason found out that Black Cohosh is a major no-no for those with a predisposition to blood clots. However one of your readers mentioned “Nutrilite black cohosh”. Does that have the same clotting risk?
I will definitely be adding flax to my diet, but am uncertain how much. And is there such a thing as too much?
Hello Audrey – Thank you stopping by my blog. Have you consulted your doctor about this condition? Extreme sweating and lethargy are debilitating symptoms of something…but what? I don’t know, I’m not a doctor. But before you start experimenting with Flax Seed as a remedy, I strongly recommend that you talk to your doctor and get proper testing done to determine the cause.
I am 74 well past my menopause, for the last four years I have been suffering
with etreme sweating in the head, neck, it is very embarrassing with the
sweat rolling down my face, into my eyes and ears. I am always wiping my
face ande neck, but nothing I have tried so far is stopping these sweats
I have recently read about flaxseed and wondering if this would help me some.
It also makes me tired and no energy. A suggestion will be of some hope.
Thank you
Hi Ash – These are all good questions, but I’m not informed or qualified to answer them. Have you considered consulting a naturopathic doctor?
Thanks for the interesting info. Please provide further feedback about advantages and disadvantages of taking:- black cohosh, flaxseed powder, flaxseed oil, Vit. C, Vit. E, fish oil, & lecithin all at one time. Can above herbs/supplements be taken safely if they are spaced out during the day? Which ones are best taken together and could also contribute to a better night’s rest? Is there any toxicity with combining any of the above? What is the suggested dosage for each? I understand some people also take calcium citate+D and/or calcium carbonate, magnesium & zinc ( 1 tablet) in the evening and get a good night sleep. Could any of the above herbs interact negatively with blood pressure meds such as lisinopril? Thanks and good luck to everyone.
First of all, this is a great site for information. I had a full hysterectomy 2 years ago at the age of 46. Now, 2 years later, I am still having hot flashes and night sweats. I can deal with the ones during the day, but the ones at night are killing me!
So, today I bought the organic Flax Seed Powder. As I write this I am getting ready to add to my yogurt.
1 Question, do you take the 2 Tblsp at once?
Will keep you updated on the progress. BTW..I have been on prescrition HRT since my hysterectomy, isnt helping much, and it’s dangerous.
Hi Nona- it sounds like you’ve got a bad case of hot flashes! I’ve written about how flax seed can help many women, but it may not be the answer for you. If your doctor prescribed the right dosage of hormones and you follow her directions, you should see good results. If not, speak to her about adjusting the dosage or consult another physician.
I’m 55 and have had hot flashes for at least 5 yrs. The doctor did a fsh blood test last Nov and said I’m still not in menopause. She has me n provera 1 tab for 10 days each month. My hot flashes have been intolerable the past week and then it dawned on me I haven’t taken the provera this month. I have been using flaxseed about 1 tbs a day for about 2 weeks, so it’s not helping, should I increase it to 2 tbs a day? I am getting deserate. I sweat from the bottom of my feet to the top on my head. I envy people who just get the flushed face and chest.
Hi Laura – I’m glad to hear you found something (other than HRT) that worked for the hot flashes. It offers many other benefits (cardio-vascular) too, so it’s a good supplement to take.
Hi Everyone, wanted to give you an update…last time I blogged here at the end of April, I had already tried black cohosh and soy for my hot flashes and it didn’t help me at all. So I was going to try Fish Oil next since it really helps my neighbor. Well, I am absolutely thrilled to report that Fish Oil has worked wonders! I used to have more than 25 hot flashes a day, and now I hardly have any, maybe 1 or 2 a day if that! I am taking Nature’s Blend Omega-3 Fish Oil 1200 mg and I only take 1 tablet a day with breakfast. My neighbor takes 2 of those a day and the label says to take 1 or 2, but I started with 1 and it has almost completely stopped my hot flashes! So if anyone hasn’t tried it yet, you should probably try it since I am living proof that it works! I’m turning 50 tomorrow and I’m finally feeling fabulous!
Hi Laura – You should try a high quality Flax Seed, not Flax Oil so you get the benefit of the lignans. See the blogpost that follows this for an explanation by Stephanie Stober, of Flax USA. – Here’s the link:
http://www.menopausetheblog.com/2008/03/10/designer-flax-seed-from-a-north-dakota-farm/
I also recommend that you consult with a naturopathic doctor or “menopause coach” who can suggest other supplements and herbs to help you with hormone balancing. You’ll waste a lot of time and money (and be miserable in the mean time) with a trial and error approach. It’s best to have some testing done to see what the best solution will be for you.
I’ve been having hot flashes several times a day lately that are quite unbearable, I’m almost 50 and have been looking for alternatives to hormone therapy. I started taking a Nutrilite black cohosh and soy 3 times a day with meals, and after almost 2 months, the hot flashes are not at all better. It has made no difference at all. I will be trying fish oil next, my neighbor says she has better success in eliminating hot flashes with that than flaxseed oil. I never tried a combination of the 3 and would like to test each separate to know for sure which is the supplement that really works.
I’ve been taking flaxseed and only found out yesterday that I’m not taking enough. I’m going to increase to 1 tablespoon a day, and go up to 4 TBS from there, if necessary.
Glad for this confirmation.
Hi Pam – Check out the interview I did last year with Stephanie Stober, a Flax farmer: http://www.menopausetheblog.com/2008/03/10/designer-flax-seed-from-a-north-dakota-farm/#more-99
She explains that it is the lignans found in the outer shell of the flax seed, (which contain a phytoestrogen), that can be particularly beneficial for menopausal women. Taking oil tablets instead of the flax seed itself, she added, would be cheating you out of the benefits derived from the plant seed. However, she cautions that women who have or have had breast cancer should check with their doctors before adding flax to their diets.
Do flaxseed oil tablets work as affectively as the flax seed itself? I am suffering with horrible hot flashes and night sweats and need a natural remedy as I am at high risk for breast cancer.
Thanks, Pamela
Hi Linda – When I took black cohosh, I used Remifemin, which contains 20 mg of Black Cohosh. As for Flax Seed, I was mixing two tablespoons with yogurt every day. A friend of mine takes twice as much. You’ll need to experiment to find the amount that you’re comfortable with.
Hello Wendy
Could you please tell me how much of the black cohosh and flax seed did you take each day?
thanks in advance
Linda
After reading so much about it,, I finally buckled down and got some flax seeds, (the health benefits are too great to pass up).
Surprisingly, when baking with it,, it doesn’t taste half bad! (that’s where my trepidation always lies). I’m going to hunt down “The Flax Cookbook” too!
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