Anyone who has ever had a severe hot flash, especially in public, might struggle to believe that there can be any upside to these incapacitating waves of heat. But, believe it or not, there is good news and benefits of menopause hot flashes.
Continue reading to find out the good news about menopausal hot flashes and what this could mean for your overall reproductive health.
Benefits of Menopause Hot Flashes
Researchers have found that women who have experienced hot flashes and other menopause symptoms have a 50 percent lower risk of developing the most common forms of breast cancer, invasive ductal and invasive lobular carcinoma. This is in comparison to those who passed through the menopausal transition without such symptoms.
Though it has not been proven, this is believed to be true because of lower estrogen levels. As hormones fluctuate and drop when a woman is about to end her fertile years, those experiencing menopausal symptoms tend to have lower levels of estrogen, a driving force behind breast cancer.
These results did not change when researchers accounted for factors acknowledged to boost breast cancer risk, including obesity and use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Likewise, another benefit to hot flashes is the signaling to an end. When women officially enter perimenopause, they may only focus on the rough years there are to follow. However, when perimenopause ends, they can look forward to a new chapter in their lives that allow them greater sexual freedom among other highlights.
More Information
While this news may have some women feel slightly enlightened toward their future, it will not help manage and treat the current hot flashes at hand. Accordingly, find out how to treat hot flashes safely and naturally by clicking on the previous link.
Sources
- Women's Health Research Institute: Northwestern University. (n.d.). Hot Flashes Associated with Lower Risk of Breast Cancer. Retrieved January 10, 2019, from https://www.womenshealth.northwestern.edu/blog/hot-flashes-associated-lower-risk-breast-cancer