Lose weight to reduce menopause symptoms

A team of American scientists has found that losing excess weight could reduce the level of certain hormones that trigger the symptoms of menopause, the 'Daily Mail' reported.

Overweight women tend to produce more oestrogen, a hormone which is thought to aggravate hot flushes and night sweats, according to a study carried out by an American healthcare firm.

"Weight loss, especially loss of fat mass but not lean mass, might help alleviate hot flashes and night sweats," Lead author Candyce Kroenke said adding that the cause was not completely understood.

The study put 17,473 menopausal women who were not on Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on a low-fat diet of fruit, vegetables and wholegrain bread, cereal, rice and pasta.

Women who managed to lose around 4.5 kgs had fewer hot flushes and night sweats over the following year compared to those who only lost a little weight, or stayed the same, the study said.

Experts also believe that excess body fat may impede the body from cooling down after a flush.

Many British women are reluctant to use HRT after it was linked to breast cancer in 2002. Since then, the number of British women taking the treatment halved to one million, the report said.