Hot flashes? Try rhubarb

Posted on Sep 30th 2006 10:00AM by Debra McDuffee

Filed Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements

If your friends are calling you "Sweaty Betty," you keep a portable fan in your purse and change your bedsheets in the middle of the night because they are sopping wet, then you are going to love this. If you have been nervous to take HRT because of all the negative side effects and cancer risks, then why not try rhubarb?

In a recent study, women who took rhubarb extract not only had a reduction in hot flashes, but also reported a higher quality of life. Rhubarb extract has been used in Germany for years and researchers say it seems safe.

An interesting tidbit -- researchers don't know how the rhubarb extract works and it doesn't contain estrogens. Makes you wonder how they thought to try it in the first place, doesn't it?

Source

86 Comment

Tags: hot flashes, HotFlashes, menopause, rhubarb

Around the Web

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)

Bobby Care 10-01-2006 @ 10:25AM

I agree that rhubarb keeps your tonus. Sorry, but I'm not woman

Daryl Kulak 10-01-2006 @ 1:11PM

Thank you for blogging about this study, Deb. I told my wife about it immediately, because hot flashes have really affected her life for the last 10 years or so. I found a place to buy the rhubarb extract:

http://www.herbspro.com/32334/RhubarbExtract.htm

I just placed our order, so let's see if it works for my wife!

Gail 10-04-2006 @ 7:53AM

Since I am going through menopause I have had little to no problems with hot flashes,but then again..I have been making rhubarb desserts for my many parties where I hostess the event.
Hmmm. ???
Thanks for this info!

Juli Labonte 10-04-2006 @ 7:53AM

I am so happy to see that men are supporting their wives and investigating methods to improve their quality of life. Love is YOU!!

Diane Clark 10-04-2006 @ 8:03AM

I studied menopause when I had my first hot flash. Apparently the thyroid is responsible because as its mineral "iodine" is depleted via age, the results are hot flashes and irritiability. Hence, I began replacing the natural iodine my thyroid needed with Kelp, which is 100% natural seaweed.....iodine. I do not have hot flashes now.

Diane Clark 10-04-2006 @ 8:12AM

I had one hot flash and then ran to the medical library to study the cause. It seems the thyroid gland is the root cause because as we age the mineral the thyroid requires, iodione, is depleted....hence, hot flashes. I began replacing iodine with my diet by taking Kelp, an all natural mineral found in seaweed. I no longer have hot flashes and the cost is minimal,,,,,$12.99 per 100 tablets and I only take one 200 miligrams each morning. Why dont doctors tell us this? I suppose they just dont' make any money by sharing this small bit of information, eh? By treating the thyroid naturally I not only felt much better, but weight dropped off my body, too.

Gillian Izhar 10-04-2006 @ 9:44AM

I grew up in England, Rhubarb Pie was a fairly popular dessert. Perhaps the Germans also eat Rhubaarb and noticed that women who eat it don't have hot flashes. Since many people don't like the taste, they made an extract.

DONNA 10-04-2006 @ 9:37AM

OK...I WILL GIVE ANYTHING A TRY, MY DAYS AND NIGHTS ARE COMPLETELY CONTAINED BY "FLASHES". WISH ME LUCK...THINK COOL...DONNA

DONNA 10-04-2006 @ 9:39AM

OK...I WILL GIVE ANYTHING A TRY, MY DAYS AND NIGHTS ARE CONSUMED BY "FLASHES"...WISH ME LUCK AND THINK COOL...DONNA

barb blauman 10-04-2006 @ 9:45AM

I am 61..way past menopause, and have never stopped suffering from constant hot flashes since the age of 54. Where can I purchase rubarb tablets rather than the drops?

Nancy Garrison 10-04-2006 @ 9:52AM

Thanks Diane Clark - you rock. I have suffered for years from hot flashes/night sweats, tried some of the OTC meds and a short course of HRT. Nothing worked. I'll be sure to try your method. My husband and I thank you.

Dolores 10-04-2006 @ 3:28PM

Well I get hot flashes very bad and a friend of mine told me to take Black Cohash but when I took it it felt like bugs where bitingme, so I did a research on it and it seened like it was interacting with my medcine I was take. And everything I was takeing the Black Cohash was suppose to be doing the same as my medicine so I stoped taking the Black Cohash and I am not biting anymore. So I would love to try this but am so scare of the side affects. Do you have any information on side affects on this product.

Dolores

Cris Scally 10-04-2006 @ 9:53AM

Iodine...rhubarb...these all sound like safe, natural ways to control hot flashes. But ladies, whatever you do, don't let your doctor try to talk you into taking Premarin. It is made from pregnant mare urine - that's right, horse pee. And the way they collect is not very humane, and because it has to be from a pregnant horse, the Premarin farms generate countless baby horses, which are usually sold for slaughter. It is a horrible, horrible industry. Look it up on the web if you don't believe me.

linda Musgrave 10-04-2006 @ 9:59AM

This I'm gonna try. ruhbarb and seaweed here I come

Alesia Hall 10-04-2006 @ 10:00AM

Amen, sisters!!!! Doctors don't want to lose all that money! Sad thing is, many Doctors are females...hhhmmmmm...Makes you wonder if perhaps they haven't gotten to where we are yet? Hope they remember the Kelp solution for themselves, as they don't seem to care about letting us in on it!!!! Thank God, we are smarter, sometimes, than they are!!! Good work, women!!!!

Julie Figueroa 10-04-2006 @ 9:58AM

Be careful! What Daryl ordered for his wife from Herbspro.com (link above) is rheum palmatum - commonly used as a laxative. This article refers to rheum rhaponticum.

linda Musgrave 10-04-2006 @ 10:01AM

ruhbarb and seaweed, here I come

Cheryl Keene 10-04-2006 @ 10:23AM

I am 28 yrs old and for 4 yrs since my last child was born I have had thyroid problems. I am on synthroid but still have hot flashes while I sleep. I get so sweaty that the die in the sheets stain my matress pad. Unless I have the thermostat turned down so low that everyone else is freezing I will sweat so I will give it a try. so interesting that an herb could fix such a big problem. If you don't sleep well then you don't perform well during the day.

Rachel Thornton 10-04-2006 @ 10:16AM

So glad I came upon this sight. My hot flashes, brought on by chemo and stem cell transplants, are a royal pain! My children make fun of me all the time.(11 yrs old) I can't wait to try the rhubarb and iodine! THANK YOU for sharing this info!