Exercise training reduces the acute physiological severity of post‐menopausal hot flushes

Bailey, Tom G.; Cable, N. Timothy; Aziz, Nabil; Atkinson, Greg; Cuthbertson, Daniel J.; Low, David A.; Jones, Helen

doi:10.1113/jp271456

Cited by 27 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…The difference between the observations this study reports regarding physical activity and the impact on HF/NS with the overall findings from the RCT, in which this study was embedded, may have other explanations. These explanations include the suggested associations between reduced menopausal symptoms, both with improvements in physical fitness [31,32,37] and with improvements of thermoregulatory function [38,39]. Improved physical fitness was associated with less severe physiological HF symptoms [39], while a greater control of thermoregulatory function coincided with reduced HF frequency and severity [38] in symptomatic postmenopausal women (n = 21) participating in a 16-week aerobic training controlled trial [38,39].…”

Section: Experience Of Physical Activity As a Treatment For Menopausamentioning

confidence: 99%

Women’s views about physical activity as a treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms: a qualitative study

Thomas

Daley

2020

BMC Women's Health

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Background Women commonly seek medical advice about menopausal symptoms. Although menopausal hormone therapy is the most effective treatment, many women prefer non-pharmacological treatments, such as physical activity. The effectiveness of physical activity has been inconclusive when assessed by randomised controlled trials, and it remains unclear how women feel about it as a possible treatment approach. The aim of the study was to explore symptomatic menopausal women’s views and experiences of physical activity as a treatment for vasomotor and other menopausal symptoms. Methods An in-depth qualitative study was embedded within a randomised controlled trial that assessed the effectiveness of physical activity as a treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms in previously inactive vasomotor symptomatic women. Participants were randomised to one of two physical activity interventions or a usual care group. Both physical activity interventions involved two one-to-one consultations, plus either supporting materials or access to physical activity support groups, over 6 months. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 purposively selected participants from all three trial groups after they had completed trial follow-up. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed by constant comparison. Results All participants talked positively about physical activity as a treatment for their menopausal symptoms, with most reporting participation had improved their hot flushes and night sweats. They reported that they had experienced improved sleep, physical health and psychological well-being. Those who received the physical activity plus social-support intervention reported their ability to cope with their menopausal symptoms had improved. Many participants commented that they would prefer doctors to discuss physical activity as a possible treatment for their hot flushes and night sweats, before offering medication. Conclusions Based on the views and experiences of the women who participated in this study, healthcare professionals should continue discussing physical activity as a potential first treatment option with menopausal women. Furthermore, healthcare professionals should ensure they prepare, support, and encourage these women both physically and emotionally. Trial registration ISRCTN ISRCTN06495625 Registered 10/11/2010

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Section: Experience Of Physical Activity As a Treatment For Menopausamentioning

confidence: 99%

Women’s views about physical activity as a treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms: a qualitative study

Thomas

Daley

2020

BMC Women's Health

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“…A small increase in core temperature is unlikely to induce a hot flush, therefore recommendations for women to avoid conditions that may increase their core temperatures and to avoid/ not perform exercise should be reconsidered. We have shown previously that exercise training/increased fitness reduces the frequency and severity of hot flushes, along with a lowering of the temperature thresholds for sweating and cutaneous vasodilation in symptomatic post-menopausal women [18,30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…In 72 postmenopausal women (aged 45.8±5.1 yrs; BMI 25.9±4.5 kg/m 2 ), we performed a secondary analysis of 108 hot flushes from 5 experimental studies designed for other purposes [8,[18][19][20][21]. Studies were performed in laboratories in Texas, USA or Liverpool, UK either in the morning after an overnight fast or early afternoon at least 2 hours postprandial.…”

Section: Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Measurements were conducted in a temperature-controlled laboratory (24-26°C). Participants were placed in a tube-lined jacket and trousers (Med-Eng., Ottawa, Canada), which covered the entire body except for the head, feet and the forearm (n=52) [8,18,20], or just wore the trousers with a loose fitting t-shirt (n=20) [19,21]. Participants rested in a semi-recumbent position for 30 minutes while water (34°C) was perfused through the garments to control skin temperature.…”

Section: Experimental Protocolmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To verify continuous BP measured at the finger, an automated blood pressure (Dinamap, Gersweiler, Germany or SunTech Medical Instruments, Raleigh, NC) was obtained at regular intervals. Mean skin temperature was measured via the average of thermocouples (within-subject variation 0.18 o C, [24]) at the chest, upper back, lower back, abdomen, thigh and calf [8,19,20] or chest, tricep, calf, and thigh [18], attached to the skin. Core temperature was measured from an ingestible pill telemetry system taken at least 2 h before the commencement of data collection (CoreTemp, HQInc, Palmetto, FL within-subject variation 0.03 o C [25]).…”

Section: Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Is core temperature the trigger of a menopausal hot flush?

et al. 2019

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OBJECTIVE: Menopausal hot flushes negatively impact quality of life and may be a biomarker of cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk; therefore understanding the physiology of hot flushes is important. Current thinking is that a small elevation (~0.03-0.05 o C) in core temperature surpasses a sweating threshold (that is reduced in the menopause), sweating is activated, and a hot flush ensues. Nevertheless, more recent studies examining thermoregulatory control question whether core temperature per se can explain the trigger for a hot flush. The primary aim of this study was to assess the contribution of increases in core temperature on the occurrence of menopausal hot flushes. METHODS: For this purpose, 108 hot flushes were objectively assessed in a laboratory setting in 72 symptomatic postmenopausal women (aged 45.8±5.1 yrs; BMI 25.9±4.5 kg/m 2) from 5 previously reported studies. Women rested, wearing a tube lined suit (or trousers) which was perfused with 34 o C water. A subset then underwent mild heat stress (48°C water). Sweat rate, skin blood flow, blood pressure, heart rate, skin and core temperature were measured continuously throughout. A hot flush was objectively identified during rest (spontaneous hot flush) or mild heating as an abrupt increase in sternal sweat rate. Further, a subset of symptomatic post-(n=22) underwent whole-body passive heating for 60 mins to identify core temperature thresholds and sensitivities for sweat rate and cutaneous vasodilation, which were compared to a subset of pre-menopausal women (n=18). Data were analysed using ttests and/or general linear modelling, and are presented as mean (95% CI). RESULTS: In the 20 mins prior to a spontaneous hot flush, core temperature increased by 0.03±0.12 o C (P<0.05), but only 51% of hot flushes were preceded by an increase in core temperature. During mild heating, 76% of hot flushes were preceded by an increase in core temperature. The temperature thresholds for sweating were similar but the vasodilatory threshold was higher in post-menopausal compared to pre-menopausal women (37.1±0.2 vs. 36.8 ±0.3°C, P = 0.06). CONCLUSION: We provide new evidence that menopausal hot flushes are unlikely triggered by an increase in core temperature. These findings provide important information about the physiology of hot flushes that have implications for treatment and management options for menopausal hot flushes.

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Musculoskeletal Health in Menopause

Geier

Benham

2021

Each Woman’s Menopause: An Evidence Based Resource

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Exercise training reduces the acute physiological severity of post‐menopausal hot flushes

Cited by 27 publications

References 46 publications

Women’s views about physical activity as a treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms: a qualitative study

Women’s views about physical activity as a treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms: a qualitative study

Is core temperature the trigger of a menopausal hot flush?

Musculoskeletal Health in Menopause

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