Flaxseed for Hot Flashes?

By Anna Roufos, January/February 2008

Recent research suggests it might just help.

READER'S COMMENT:

"I have to say that flax seeds (ground up or milled) work very well at helping relieve the hot flashes of menopause. I have read this in several places and tried it - you need about 2 tablespoons (1/8 cup) a day mixed in something. A...

Related Recipes
Healthy Recipes with Flax Seed

New research suggests that lignans, estrogen-like compounds in flaxseeds, may help relieve hot flashes. In the pilot study, 28 women consumed four tablespoons of ground flaxseed daily—two in the morning, two at night. After six weeks, the frequency of their hot flashes dropped, on average, from 7.3 to 3.6 a day. Intensity of the hot flashes decreased too. “[Lignans in] flax offer a ‘natural,’ less potent estrogen effect on hot flashes than synthetic hormone therapy,” says the study’s lead author, Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who is planning a larger study to confirm the findings. Pruthi recommends starting with two tablespoons daily and working up to four. (Note: 4 tablespoons = 190 calories.) Flaxseeds are rich in fiber—2.5 grams per tablespoon—so increasing intake too quickly can cause bloating. Grind whole flax—a coffee grinder works great—and sprinkle it on yogurt, cereal, fruit and salads.