Are severe hot flashes linked to greater risk Alzheimer’s disease?
Latest research from The Menopause Society Conference finds a possible connection
You feel like your body’s on fire. You’re sweating like you’ve just eaten a jar of the most potent chili peppers on the planet. You change your clothes at least three times a day because your shirt is soaked through, again. And if you’re like me, you argue with your spouse about whether the bedroom window stays open a lot or a little, and nevermind that it’s February and the temperature outside is well below freezing. You just want relief.
If you’ve ever experienced hot flashes — or in medical parlance, “vasomotor symptoms,” you know how debilitating they can be. Hot flashes and night sweats affect 8 in 10 women going through menopause. And, if the physical symptoms weren’t bad enough, a new study suggests especially when they occur during sleep, hot flashes may be early indicators of a woman’s increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The more hot flashes you experience, the greater the disease risk. Study results were presented during the 2023 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in Philadelphia this week.
I’m in Philly for The Menopause Society conference and will be posting more breaking menopause news in the coming days.
