A study conducted by researchers at Penn State University found that exercise reduced “hot flashes” in a group of menopausal women. The study included 92 women not on hormone therapy, ranging in age from 40 to 59 and of varying levels of weight and fitness.
Participants reported hot flashes over a 15 day period, and researchers also electronically monitored skin conductance to verify subjective hot flash reports and physical activity. Overall, the women in the study experienced fewer hot flash symptoms after exercising, but those who were most overweight, least fit or previous experiencing more frequent and/or intense hot flashes showed the least improvement.
One notable conclusion of the study is that exercise does not worsen this symptom, so menopausal women should not avoid healthy exercise out of a fear that hot flash symptoms might worsen.
