As hormone replacement therapy is increasingly linked to breast cancer and other health problems, researchers have begun to look into more natural ways to control the symptoms of menopause. Since 2000, a variety of amino acids have undergone testing at the University of Rochester at Buffalo to find out if they can consistently cut back on hot flashes. Dropping estrogen levels during menopause seem to slow down the efficiency of the hypothalamus gland, which regulates your body temperature. Some amino acids initially appeared to kick-start the hypothalamus into adequately doing its job again.
Gabapentin
Gabapentin was the first and most promising amino acid tested in a study performed by University of Rochester researchers in 2003 and published in the journal "Obstetrics and Gynocology." Fifty-nine women who were suffering in excess of seven hot flashes a day took either 900 mg per day of gabapentin or a placebo. The ones who received the gabapentin showed a 45 percent reduction in the number of their hot flashes and a 54 percent reduction in severity. As of 2010, gabapentin appears to be the only amino acid that is reliably effective in reducing hot flashes.
L-Isoleucine
Because 15 women in the University of Rochester's gabapentin trial that were taking gabapentin reported experiencing dizziness and drowsiness, Dr. Thomas Guttuso Jr., lead investigator of the study, initiated a second study in October 2003 into the abilities of the amino acid L-isoleucine or leucine to combat hot flashes. Despite early indications that leucine was effective, Guttuso and his team reported that leucine did not statistically reduce either the severity or frequency of this menopause symptom.
L-Methionine
L-Methionine also showed promise for minimizing hot flashes in early studies. Most amino acids come from food sources and in insufficient quantities to affect this symptom. In doses high enough to affect hot flashes, L-methionine raises the risk of cardiovascular difficulties. Guttuso and his University of Rochester team performed a clinical trial on L-methionine to test its side effects and its effectiveness against hot flashes in 2009. The results, published in "Menopause," showed that the women taking L-Methionine experienced up to a 61 percent increase in their levels of homocysteine, which is linked to cardiovascular disease. Ultimately, the University of Rochester reported that L-methionine is not effective against hot flashes, either.
References
- ScienceDaily: New Non-Hormonal Hot Flash Treatment Set for Clinical Trial; Feb. 7, 2005
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Amino Acid Therapy for Hot Flashes in Postmenopausal Women
- PubMed: Gabapentin's Effects on Hot Flashes in Postmenopausal Women -- A Randomized Controlled Trial
- PubMed: Effects of L-Isoleucine and L-Valine on Hot Flashes and Serum Homocysteine: a Randomized Controlled Trial
- PubMed: Effect of L-Methionine on Hot Flashes in Postmenopausal Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
