Exercise suggested for menopause symptoms

[Guest guest]

Exercise suggested for menopause symptoms

By CANDICE CHOI, Associated Press Writer

Thu Jun 8, 1:48 PM ET

Once at the mercy of hourly hot flashes, Margaret Corino has been

keeping them at bay with regular trips to the gym.

When the 58-year-old woman skips exercise, the waves of heat " shoot

back up again, " she says. Corino, who lives in City, west of

Albany, says her workouts have reduced hot flashes to just a couple

a day.

Though the research is still thin, many health experts say even

moderate exercise can help relieve the problems of menopause in some

women, including anxiety, insomnia and night sweats.

Menopause, which typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, is

when a woman stops menstruating. Symptoms can range from mood

swings, to hot flashes, headaches and trouble focusing.

The National Institutes of Health is conducting a wide-ranging study

of several issues related to menopause, including depression,

cognitive and sexual function. NIH-backed research so far only

suggests a link between physical activity and decreased symptoms of

menopause — no proof exercise is a cure.

For example, women who exercise may report fewer hot flashes simply

because they are less preoccupied with such symptoms, said Sheryl

Sherman, a doctor with the National Institute on Aging, an arm of

NIH.

While experiences vary from woman to woman, some say even a little

boost in physical activity goes a long way.

Just a week after starting a walking routine, 54-year-old Joan

Newman saw a dramatic decline in hot flashes. " After that, every

chance I got, I walked around the campus, " said Newman, an

administrative assistant at Missouri State University in

Springfield, Mo.

She says her daily walks reduced hot flashes from hourly to five or

six a day.

Dr. Lila Nachtigall, a spokeswoman for the North American Menopause

Society, said it is critical for women to get exercise at this time

of life despite the lack of conclusive evidence that exercise

relieves menopausal symptoms.

As estrogen levels fall, it's easier for women to gain weight,

Nachtigall said. Exercise also promotes an overall sense of well-

being that helps women handle troublesome symptoms better, she said.

" It certainly can't hurt, " she said.

Small studies have also suggested the pluses of exercise.

One by the American College of Sports Medicine showed strength

training helped reduce hot flashes and headaches by 50 percent.

Another published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing found exercise

boosted overall health-related quality of life measures in

menopausal women.

And a third in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology

found exercise slowed the progression of hardening of the arteries,

which is linked to lower levels of estrogen in women during

menopause.

Exercise can lower the risk for cardiovascular disease in general

and strengthen muscle to prevent fractures — another risk factor

that grows as estrogen levels decline, said Barbara Bushman, a

professor of health and physical education at Missouri State

University and author of " Action Plan for Menopause. "

At the very least, staying active can temper secondary effects of

menopause like insomnia and weight gain, said Cedric , chief

scientist for the American Council on Exercise.

" You may not be able to totally eliminate (the symptoms), but it

seems you can certainly alleviate them, " said.

With exercise touted as a magic bullet for boosting everything from

mental acuity to mood, it's no surprise that it may help during

menopause, said Alysia Mastrangelo, a professor of physical therapy

at Stockton College of New Jersey.

Yet many women now going through that transition may have grown up

in a time when a premium wasn't placed on physical activity,

Mastrangelo said. " This is a group that historically doesn't

exercise. "

Experiences vary greatly, however, and some say exercise doesn't

seem to curb their hot flashes at all. Marilyn Matrazzo, a 56-year-

old resident of Colonie, an Albany suburb, said she's not sure her

daily workouts help temper her hot flashes. But she persists to

maintain a general sense of well-being.

" It helps everything — I just have more 'oomph' during the day and

sleep better, " she said.

___

On the Net:

National Institute on Aging, http://www.nia.nih.gov

North American Menopause Society, http://www.menopause.org

American College or Sports Medicine, http://www.acsm.org

American Council on Exercise, http://www.acefitness.org