Physical Activity History And Severity Of Vasomotor Symptoms In Menopausal Females

Abstract

Estrogen influences thermoregulation of the human body. Accompanied by the loss of estrogen, the onset of menopause can cause disruptive vasomotor symptoms (VMS). VMS present intense physical and psychological discomfort for woman including a sudden feeling of warmth spreading through the upper body, a flushed appearance, rapid heartbeat, perspiration, and anxiety. As much as 80% of menopausal females report hot flushes daily for up to 10 years of their life. Previous research explores treatment options to reduce VMS, but few studies look for activity levels and intensity to predict severity of VMS. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between physical activity levels and the severity of hot flushes in menopausal and post-menopausal females. METHODS:101 females ages 41-79 (mean = 57 ± 8.09) were recruited on social media and local fitness studios to complete an online survey. Females were included in this project if they were in any phase of menopause transition or post-menopausal. The questionnaire required subjects to rate 12 different menopausal symptoms on a 5-category Likert Scale ranging from none to very severe. The participants were asked to recall their activity levels in minutes per week and to categorize their minutes in intensities. Subjects self-reported their exercise intensity as vigorous, moderate, or low physical activity. Subjects’ total activity minutes was categorized into quartiles in SPSS and subjects were grouped as low total activity, moderate total activity, high total activity, and very high total activity. Pearson Correlation coefficient was used to investigate relationships between volume of exercise, intensity of exercise, and severity of hot flushes. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant positive relationship between very high volume of moderate activity and severity of hot flushes. (r = 0.526, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrate that a very high volume of moderate exercise weekly may contribute to a greater severity of VMS for menopausal females. The practical implications of this study can influence exercise recommendations for menopausal females.