Iodine for Menopause Hot Flashes?
Feeling hot under the collar? Need to turn down the heat? If menopause symptoms have you feeling overheated, overstressed, and overwhelmed, iodine might be the answer. Long appreciated for its essential role in thyroid function, iodine can also benefit other body systems impacted by menopause. In this article, we’ll explore how to use iodine for menopause hot flashes, including what causes menopause hot flashes.
What Causes Menopause Hot Flashes?
Flushed skin, sweat, sudden heat. Starting in their late 40’s, many women begin to experience the symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes. The hot flashes associated with menopause are typically vasomotor responses dependent on the dilation of blood vessels. As the blood vessels expand, blood rushes in, rapidly heating the skin.
While it’s unclear what exactly causes these dilations, many researchers believe they are triggered by the intense hormonal fluctuations that occur during menopause. As estrogen declines, other hormones such as progesterone and cortisol destabilize as well. As a result, symptoms such as hot flashes, mood swings, joint pain and weight fluctuations become more common.
Symptoms of Menopause Hot Flashes
The common symptoms of menopause and perimenopause hot flashes include:
- Reddened skin (flushing)
- Sweating (including night sweats)
- Clammy skin
- Dysregulated temperature
- Heart palpitations
Menopause vs. Thyroid Hot Flashes: How to To Tell the Difference
Unfortunately, an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) or an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) can also cause hot flashes and may be confused with the onset of menopause With hyperthyroidism, the thyroid (a small, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of the throat) produces too many hormones than the body requires. With hypothyroidism, the thyroid is underactive, and does not produce enough hormones to function properly.
Since the thyroid is primarily responsible for regulating metabolism, including body temperature, an increase (or decrease!) in thyroid hormones can cause serious hot flashes and chills. Typically, hyperthyroidism is caused by autoimmune issues such as Graves’ disease; however, it may also be the result of thyroiditis (thyroid inflammation), excess iodine, or thyroid nodules. Conversely, hypothyroidism can be caused by insufficient iodine, Hashimoto’s, or pregnancy.
How can you tell if your hot flashes are the result of menopause vs. a symptom of a thyroid disorder? The first order of business is to get tested. A licensed medical professional can administer a blood test to check the levels of vital thyroid hormones such as TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), T3, and T4. When levels of these hormones fall outside the normal ranges, a thyroid disease is typically present.
Additionally, hot flashes resulting from thyroid imbalances tend to present differently than hot flashes from menopause. With thyroid-based hot flashes, the heat is almost constant and worsens slowly over time. Additionally, skin remains flushed, even outside of the flash’s “peak.”
Menopausal hot flashes, on the other hand, tend to be short and sudden. The flash lasts, on average, one to five minutes. Otherwise, body temperature remains comfortable outside of the flash.
Iodine for Menopause Hot Flashes
Studies demonstrate that menopausal and postmenopausal women who experience hot flashes tend to have lower levels of iodine. In fact, in one study, researchers found that low iodine levels positively correlated with both increased hot flash frequency and severity.
As a result, supplementing iodine may help support flagging thyroid hormone levels and boost metabolism. However, it’s important to seek medical guidance as too much iodine can seriously harm your health.
Ideally, seek natural supplements that derive iodine from effective, highly-absorbable sources rather than harsh, poorly-absorbable artificial supplements.
Curious about supplementing for menopause? Check out our Menopause Protocol. Packed with natural hormone-balancing botanicals and compounds designed to help you navigate life’s changes with poise. Get it now.
