Revolutionizing menopause management: PCRM explores impact of vegan diets on hot flashes

14 Nov 2023 --- Dietary choices may have a significant influence on postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms, commonly known as hot flashes, according to a recent study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).

The organization highlights that this latest research, focusing on the gut microbiome’s role in postmenopausal symptoms, offers new insights into managing these symptoms through dietary interventions — specifically through the implementation of a vegan diet.

The news comes as the World Food Programme assures that dietary changes in line with climate needs are achievable.

“Women who want to fight hot flashes should feed the bacteria in their gut a vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains and beans, which also leads to weight loss and protects against heart disease and type 2 diabetes,” says Dr.Hana Kahleova, co-author of the study and PCRM’s director of clinical research.

Not just a flash in the pan
The study, published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, involved 84 postmenopausal women who were experiencing at least two moderate-to-severe hot flashes daily. Participants were divided into two groups — one followed a low-fat vegan diet, including half a cup of cooked soybeans daily, and the other continued with their usual diet.

Over a 12-week period, the researchers monitored the frequency and severity of hot flashes using a mobile application. Additionally, a subset of 11 women underwent metagenomic sequencing to analyze changes in their gut microbiome at the beginning and end of the study.

The intervention group experienced a dramatic reduction in symptoms, with a 95% decrease in total reported hot flashes and a complete elimination of severe hot flashes. Furthermore, moderate to severe hot flashes decreased by 96%. 

Links to the microbiome
The researchers stress that the results were accompanied by significant changes in the gut microbiome.The study found that a vegan diet could decrease the severity of postmenopausal hot flashes.

While the alpha and beta diversity of the microbiome did not show significant changes, specific bacteria like Porphyromonas and Prevotella corporis were associated with the reduction in severe day hot flashes.

Another key finding was the role of Clostridium asparagiforme, a bacterium known for producing compounds linked to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes risks. The reduction in this bacterium also correlated with a decrease in total severe hot flashes as well as severe nighttime hot flashes.

Implications for future treatments?
Earlier this year, several researchers found fault with EAT-Lancet Commission’s diet for planetary health, citing that the diet left out several micronutrients essential for women’s health. 

According to the researchers, this exploratory study provides compelling evidence of the connection between a vegan diet and the alleviation of menopausal symptoms, which are, potentially, mediated by changes in the gut microbiome.

The study highlights that the association between specific bacteria and the reduction in hot flashes suggests that dietary choices can have profound impacts on women’s health, especially during menopause.

The findings also hold implications that extend beyond relief from menopausal symptoms, pointing to broader health benefits such as improved cardiovascular health and a potential reduction in diabetes risk.

Moreover, the researchers state the findings could open new doors for non-pharmacological interventions in managing postmenopausal symptoms by emphasizing the crucial role of dietary choices and gut health in overall wellness.

By William Bradford Nichols