Latest news with #TheMenopauseSociety
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Health
- Newsweek
This Diet May Ease Menopause Symptoms, New Study Suggests
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new study has found that a low-fat vegan diet—regardless of how processed the food is—can significantly reduce hot flashes and promote weight loss. The research, conducted by The Menopause Society and published in the journal Menopause, explored how plant-based eating can benefit women in midlife. "This study highlights the potential positive effects of a plant-based diet rich in soy, regardless of the level of processing, in terms of both hot flash and weight management," Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society, said in a statement. "Given these and the other known benefits in terms of lowering heart disease and cancer risk, women in midlife should consider leaning into a plant-based diet." A stock image of a vegan burger with avocado. A stock image of a vegan burger with avocado. Getty Images The study followed existing data that found a plant-based diet can reduce hot flashes, in part by aiding with weight loss. But with many plant-based foods being highly-processed, the Ohio-based society wanted to find out whether the type of food consumed, be it vegan, ultra-processed or animal-based, affected hot flash severity. Participants in the trial were randomly assigned to follow either a low-fat vegan diet supplemented with soybeans or an omnivorous diet under supervision. Both groups reported similar levels of hot flash frequency and severity at the outset. Over a 12-week period, those in the vegan group reported a 92 percent reduction in severe hot flashes. Their average weight loss was 3.6 kilograms, compared to a negligible 0.2 kilogram change in the omnivorous control group. Significantly, the benefits in the vegan group remained consistent whether their food was minimally processed or highly processed, indicating that the critical factor was the source of the food—plant-based versus animal-based—rather than the degree of processing. The findings challenge traditional views that all processed foods are detrimental to health, at least within the context of a vegan diet. For alternative ways to manage hot flashes, Newsweek spoke with Tonie Reincke, M.D., a Texas-based specialist in interventional radiology who has experienced hot flashes firsthand. "Speaking not only as a physician, but also as a woman who has experienced hot flashes, several things that I found helpful to reduce these include layering my clothing to quickly cool down, carrying a portable fan, and drinking ice water throughout the day," Reincke said. "Herbal supplements such as black cohosh and primrose oil may help some women, though results can vary, and hormone replacement therapy is an option under medical supervision." Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about menopause? Let us know via science@ Reference Kahleova, H., Znayenko-Miller, T., Jayaraman, A., Motoa, G., Chiavaroli, L., Holubkov, R., & Barnard, N. D. (2025). Processed foods in the context of a vegan diet, and changes in body weight and severe hot flashes in postmenopausal women: A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial. Menopause.
Axios
04-03-2025
- Health
- Axios
Why menopause care is still a challenge in Washington state
Menopause is something every woman goes through, but doctors — even OB-GYNs — aren't required to learn much about it. Why it matters: Millions of women don't get the care they need — and some are getting misinformation at the doctor's office. Catch up quick: In 2002, research from the Women's Health Initiative found hormone therapy increased a woman's risk of heart disease and breast cancer, upending conventional medical recommendations about the treatment. But in recent years, the research was put into context: The risks weren't as great as originally thought and the data was weighted toward women 60 and older. The average age of a menopausal woman is 51. Since then, researchers and health professionals have tried to correct the messaging, noting the benefits of hormone therapy for treating hot flashes and preventing bone loss. What they're saying: "It's such an uphill battle to not just teach people about it, but to undo all the damage of the last 20-plus years," Deborah Gomez Kwolek of the Mass General Women's Health and Sex and Gender Medicine Program tells Axios. Stunning stat: Only about 7% of OB-GYN residents reported feeling adequately prepared to manage menopause, according to a 2019 survey published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. More than one in five OB-GYN residents (about 20%) reported receiving no menopause lectures during residency. Symptoms vary widely. Perimenopause, the phase leading up to menopause, can begin six to 10 years earlier and trigger all sorts of hormonal chaos. Menopause is officially marked after a woman has gone one year without a period. Seattle-based physician Nora Lansen, the chief medical officer for Elektra Health, has a message for perimenopausal patients: "You're not crazy." "There are so many different symptoms and they manifest in different ways and at different times of life. So it could be: 'I can't remember my kid's teacher's name' this year but then, two years from now, it's, 'My libido's tanking.'" Zoom in: One way health professionals can signal they've undergone additional menopause training is by passing a certification exam offered by The Menopause Society. In Washington, about 100 have this credential. The bottom line: "Women don't have to suffer," says Stephanie Faubion, The Menopause Society's medical director — but they have to find a physician who knows enough to help.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Study links long COVID severity with white blood cell count
A simple blood test might determine which patients are at risk for long COVID, a new study says. Higher levels of leukocytes -- a form of white blood cell -- are associated with more severe symptoms of long COVID among older women, researchers reported in a new study published Wednesday in the journal Menopause. "Our findings suggest that leukocyte count, a well-standardized, stable, widely available, and inexpensive clinical marker of inflammation, is an independent predictor of future (long COVID) severity in postmenopausal women," the research team led by Ted Ng, an assistant professor with the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, concluded. For the study, researchers analyzed blood samples taken from more than 1,200 women who participated in a COVID study between June 2021 and February 2022. More than a third (36%) of the women suffered from long COVID symptoms, including memory problems (13%), "brain fog" (12%), or confusion or difficulty thinking or concentrating (11%), results show. Of those women, 75% had two or more long COVID symptoms, researchers added. Women with higher leukocyte counts tended to have more of these symptoms, and their symptoms tended to be more severe, researchers found. "These findings are consistent with evidence showing that elevated inflammatory markers during or after COVID-19 infection are associated with subsequent (long COVID) severity and (long COVID)-associated symptoms," researchers wrote. One theory of long COVID is that a person's initial infection causes heavy inflammation that does long-term damage to tissues and organs, resulting in lasting symptoms, researchers noted. However, these results also might mean that the women were suffering from low-level inflammation prior to their COVID infection, researchers said. That existing inflammation could have made the disease even worse. Further study is needed to better tease out the connections between long COVID and inflammation, and to verify the link between white blood cell counts and long COVID risk, researchers said. Long COVID "significantly affects quality of life, often leading to severe disability," Dr. Monica Christmas, associate medical director for The Menopause Society, said in a news release. "This effect is particularly pronounced in women, who already experience higher rates of cognitive impairment after menopause," added Christmas, who was not involved in the initial study. "By understanding underlying factors, we can better address these challenges and work to mitigate the cascade of symptoms that follow." More information The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about long COVID. Copyright © 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
