Research suggests oxytocin treatment could help ease hot flashes.
A recent study published in the journal Menopause has gotten a lot of attention for proposing a link between the “love hormone” oxytocin and reduced hot flashes.
The study, which was conducted by researchers at Indiana University and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, looked at the experience of about 70 women who were undergoing or had undergone menopause naturally or as the result of ovarian surgery. They found that those women going through menopause with children under age 13 at home experienced fewer hot flashes in the long run than women with older children or no children in the home. They also found that having young children in the home post-menopause was linked to a significant decrease in hot flashes.
Although the researchers are not exactly sure why they are seeing this pattern, they suspect it may have something to do with oxytocin. Sometimes called the “love hormone,” oxytocin is present in large amounts during sex, childbirth and lactation. It contributes to sexual function and also helps to control body temperature.
Oxytocin is also produced in the brain when women cuddle their children. While under normal circumstances oxytocin typically decreases in menopausal women, if it continues to be produced it could help counteract the temperature fluctuations that cause hot flashes. This may be the reason why the study participants with young children at home suffered fewer hot flashes than the others.
Proven Treatments for Hot Flashes
What if you don’t have young children in the home? How can you escape the discomfort of hot flashes and night sweats (their nocturnal counterpart)? With Renew Woman™’s proven menopause treatments.
At Renew Woman™, we can recommend a variety of treatments designed to help relieve your unique mix of menopause symptoms. We will first test your levels of estrogen and other vital hormones, as low estrogen is the root cause of hot flashes. We will also ask about other factors that may be exacerbating your hot flashes, such as stress, poor eating habits, and physical inactivity. Then, we can create a personalize treatment just for you. Typically, this includes estrogen replacement to raise your estrogen to a healthy level, along with recommendations for a healthy lifestyle. For your safety, we always replace progesterone and estrogen together, and the dosage can be fine-tuned until you achieve the satisfaction you deserve.