Ask the Experts- January 2016

By: Red Hot Mamas

Published: January 13, 2016

Dear Red Hot Mamas,

My husband enjoys our visits to the pubs. Yes, I must confess, I do, too. But during our visits, after I have a drink or two, I’m engulfed in hot flashes. They are so bad that I want to seek shelter in the loo. Please help.

Anna from London

Dear Anna,

Thank you for writing to Red Hot Mamas all the way across the continent. Unfortunately, alcohol is a known trigger of hot flashes. It also is known to deplete the body of vitamins and nutrients. On menopausal women the effect of alcohol on estrogen levels is uncertain, however, some studies suggest that alcohol may lower estrogen levels which may explain why you’re getting more hot flashes after you drink. Alcohol also is a depressant and it also has added calories which may cause weight gain. Best advice is probably to avoid it altogether to help with your hot flashes, or have a drink or two on special occasions. You may want to discuss this with your doctor as there are benefits and risks with drinking alcohol. There is some evidence that light drinking may reduce CVD risk. Hope this is of help to you.

Red Hot Mamas Experts