Approximately 75 percent of menopausal women experience hot flashes, according to the Mayo Clinic. A hot flash is a sudden feeling of heat that can leave you sweaty and flushed. Hormone Replacement Therapy, or HRT, is frequently prescribed to relieve severe hot flashes. Certain dietary supplements, including vitamin E and magnesium, are also sometimes suggested to help diminish hot flashes.
Significance
A hot flash may begin with a feeling of pressure in your head and cause mild to intense feelings of heat that move through your upper body and face, notes the Mayo Clinic. Hot flashes typically last a few seconds to 10 minutes.Your body may become chilled as the hot flash diminishes.
Function
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that shields body tissue from harm caused by volatile substances known as free radicals, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Free radicals can damage tissues, cells and organ. Magnesium is a mineral that plays a role in hundreds of chemical reactions that keep your body in good working order, notes Medline Plus.
Expert Insight
A study published in 2007 in "Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation" found that taking 400 IU of vitamin E daily appeared to effectively relieve menopausal hot flashes. The placebo double-blind controlled trial was led by S. Ziaei of the Faculty of Medical Science, Tarbiat Modarres University in Tehran, Iran.
A pilot trial published in 2010 in the "Journal of Clinical Oncology" found that the majority of women who took 400 mg of magnesium oxide daily for four weeks either stopped having hot flashes altogether or the number of hot flashes was cut in half.
Dietary/Dosage Recommendations
The suggested daily dose of vitamin E for adults in 15 mg daily, according to the UMMC. Food sources of vitamin E include wheat germ, green leafy vegetables such as spinach, seeds, nuts, olives and corn.
Magnesium oxide is used as a dietary supplement when the amount of magnesium in the diet is insufficient. Doses less than 350 mg per day are generally safe for adults. Good dietary sources of magnesium include meats, dairy products, legumes, whole grains, broccoli, squash, seeds and nuts.
Precautions
High doses of vitamin can compromise your blood's ability to form clots after an injury or cut and increase the risk of bleeding, reports the Office of Dietary Supplements. Too much magnesium can cause low blood pressure, confusion, irregular heartbeat, coma and even death, according to Medline Plus.
Outlook
The occurrence of menopausal hot flashes usually lasts for three to five years, notes the UMMC. Women who have undergone hysterectomies usually have more severe hot flashes than women who experience menopause naturally.
Relaxation techniques such as slow, deep abdominal breathing and yoga mediation may help decrease hot flashes in some women.
References
- American Society of Clinical Oncology: Oral magnesium oxide for treatment of hot flashes in women undergoing treatment for breast cancer: A pilot study.
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin E
- Medline Plus: Magnesium Oxide
- Medline Plus: Magnesium
- PubMed: The effect of vitamin E on hot flashes in menopausal women
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin E
Member Comments