Is There Non-Hormonal Relief for Hot Flashes on the Horizon?

Can an anti-seizure drug help reduce hot flashes in menopausal women? That’s what researchers at the University of Toronto wanted to find out when they conducted a study involving 200 women, aged 45-60, who were having at least 14 hot flashes per week.  Half of the women received Gabapentin, a drug used to control certain types of epileptic seizures; the others received a placebo.  The results are encouraging.

After one month, hot flashes decreased by 51% among women taking Gabapentin. This compared with 26% for those who took a placebo.   There were some side effects reported, such as dizziness, unsteadiness and drowsiness, early in the study but those symptoms decreased by the second week and reached a baseline levels by week four. The research team concluded that “Gabapentin seems to be an effective treatment for hot flashes with few side effects.”

Though a longer study needs to be conducted, this is good news for women experiencing severe hot flashes and who are willing to take non-hormonal therapy for relief. 

The study was reported in the current issue of Menopause Journal, a publication of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS).  To see an abstract of the study, click here.