Can Yoga Reduce Hot Flashes in Menopause? - Monthly Prescribing Reference

October 03, 2013

Yoga Ineffective for Reducing Hot Flashes in Menopause

(HealthDay News) — Yoga classes plus home practice, compared with usual activity, do not reduce frequency or bother of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) in healthy menopausal women, according to research published online Sept. 16 in Menopause.

Katherine M. Newton, Ph.D., of the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle, and colleagues conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of yoga (107 participants), exercise (106), or usual activity (142) on menopausal VMS.

The researchers found that, at 12 weeks, no significant differences in VMS frequency or bother were observed between the yoga and usual activity groups. Compared with the usual activity group, the yoga group reported significant improvement in insomnia^[1] symptoms.

"In this randomized controlled trial, we find that yoga has no effect on VMS frequency or bother," the authors write. "However, yoga modestly improves insomnia symptoms -- another menopause^[2] symptom important to midlife women."

Several authors disclosed financial ties to the diagnostics and pharmaceutical industries.

Abstract

Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)^{[3] [4]}

This article originally appeared here.^[5]

References

1. ^{^} insomnia (www.empr.com)


2. ^{^} menopause (www.empr.com)


3. ^{^} Abstract (journals.lww.com)


4. ^{^} Full Text (subscription or payment may be required) (journals.lww.com)


5. ^{^} here. (journals.lww.com)