Vasomotor Symptoms: What is the Impact of Physical Exercise?

Abstract

Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) or hot flushes are the commonest and the most troublesome symptoms during the menopausal transition. Though usually transient, VMS is the leading menopausal symptom presenting for medical attention. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is the most effective treatment for VMS, but many women are reluctant to use HRT and wish to pursue alternative therapy.Physical exercise of different types has been used as a mean of alleviating VMS. The potential for physical exercise to improve VMS can be explained by its effects on the postulated pathophysiologcal mechanisms of VMS. However, individual studies on the influence of physical exercise on VMS show conflicting results, with positive, negative or no effects being reported, and the review of evidence is inconclusive. The many differences in the study designs may be a reason for the varying outcomes of the studies.Physical exercise, however, have multiple benefits in postmenopausal women, in reducing cardiovascular risk factors, improving bone density and preventing osteoporosis, enhan cing muscle mass and has a positive effect on overall health. Regular physical activity should, therefore, be promoted in all postmenopausal women, though they may not derive a significant improvement of VMS.

Obesity at Menopause: An Expanding Problem

“…The association of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) with BMI reveals contrasting results, with studies reporting both higher [76][77][78][79][80] and lower [81,82] incidence of VMS with increasing BMI. Exacerbation of VMS seen with high BMI may be attributed to the insulating effect of adipose tissue preventing heat dissipation [76], whereas the lower incidence of VMS in obese women may be explained by the increased estrone production by adipose tissue stabilizing hypothalamic thermoregulatory center and vascular reactivity [80,83].…”