Why are my hot flashes worse in the early morning hours?

[TNT]

I'm in my first year of menopause, and I'm having hot flashes despite taking progesterone. One thing I've noticed is that my hot flashes are the worst during the early morning hours (about 4-7am), which really sucks from a sleep perspective, since they wake me up. Any idea why they're worse during those hours?

 

[Peatful]

Katharina Dalton: The Dietary "musts" For Improving Progesterone (Hint: No Low Carb, No Starvation)

The great progesterone pioneer Dr. Katharina Dalton, who successfully improved the quality of life thousands of women -including many difficult cases with neurologic problems- by improving progesterone function in them, didn't seem to be very fond of low-carb and starvation / low calorie kind of...

raypeatforum.com

 

[mostlylurking]

I'm in my first year of menopause, and I'm having hot flashes despite taking progesterone. One thing I've noticed is that my hot flashes are the worst during the early morning hours (about 4-7am), which really sucks from a sleep perspective, since they wake me up. Any idea why they're worse during those hours?

It's probably your cortisol/stress hormones spiking because your blood sugar got low in your sleep. Ray Peat liked to recommend a glass of orange juice. I liked drinking a glass of milk with about a tablespoon of sugar added to it.
Here's a video that discusses the problem better than I can:

View: https://youtu.be/mvRUIzPZLyw?t=347

 

[Nicole W.]

I'm in my first year of menopause, and I'm having hot flashes despite taking progesterone. One thing I've noticed is that my hot flashes are the worst during the early morning hours (about 4-7am), which really sucks from a sleep perspective, since they wake me up. Any idea why they're worse during those hours?

Taking taurine has been a game changer for me. I have been using progesterone for about 5 years now and haven’t had any hot flashes until recently. I tried to increase the progesterone but that did not improve things. Later, I suspected a blood sugar issue because they often occurred at night. So I increased calories, sugar and salt but that alone did not eliminate them.

Someone else here on this forum said taurine helped with their hot flashes, and I had some taurine capsules lying around so I thought I would give it a try. Not everyone does well with taurine but for me, it was the missing link. Not only did the hot flashes go away, but I immediately noticed better blood sugar control, lowered appetite and a sense of calm without being tired. I added in magnesium at night along with my last taurine dose and I have been sleeping even better than I usually do. No more hot flashes, at least for now.

Taurine for the win as far as I am concerned. I have been taking 1500mg per day in split doses. Magnesium glycinate 400mg, at night.

 

[freyasam]

Taking taurine has been a game changer for me. I have been using progesterone for about 5 years now and haven’t had any hot flashes until recently. I tried to increase the progesterone but that did not improve things. Later, I suspected a blood sugar issue because they often occurred at night. So I increased calories, sugar and salt but that alone did not eliminate them.

Someone else here on this forum said taurine helped with their hot flashes, and I had some taurine capsules lying around so I thought I would give it a try. Not everyone does well with taurine but for me, it was the missing link. Not only did the hot flashes go away, but I immediately noticed better blood sugar control, lowered appetite and a sense of calm without being tired. I added in magnesium at night along with my last taurine dose and I have been sleeping even better than I usually do. No more hot flashes, at least for now.

Taurine for the win as far as I am concerned. I have been taking 1500mg per day in split doses. Magnesium glycinate 400mg, at night.

What brand of taurine? Thx.

 

[Blossom]

I was thinking cortisol as well.

 

[Nicole W.]

What brand of taurine? Thx.

Pure encapsulations brand.

 

[TNT]

Pure encapsulations brand.

Nicole, FYI, I have a link to a website where you can get Pure Encapsulations and various other brands at 25% off retail:
us.fullscript.com/welcome/healing

They don't show you prices until you create an account, but everything is 25% off retail.

 

[Lejeboca]

Ray Peat's article on hot flushes and aging: Hot Flashes, Energy, And Aging
It emphasizes that hot flushes is a result of systemic aging, and not just amount of estrogen:

"Many of the changes occurring around the menopause, such as the rise of free fatty acids and decrease of glucose availability, increase the sensitivity of the CRH nerves, causing the fluctuations of the adrenergic system to cause larger increases of ACTH and cortisol."​

@TNT

Are you cycling progesterone? Liver may get used to it and start clearing it rapidly.
I'd also try to take progesterone away from the night bed time so that it may not sync with typical cortisol peaking in early morning hours.
(see posts starting from "Dr. Peat Wrote Several Times That Progesterone Increases Fat Oxidation. What?")
To decrease cortisol, in addition to sweet food intake, I'd also use red light at night.
​

 

[TNT]

Lejeboca, no, I'm not cycling progesterone. TBH, I'm afraid that if I cycle off it, the hot flashes and adrenaline surges will be so intense, I'll die. What's your suggestion for how to do it? I'm using Progestene, both topically and orally.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean about taking it away from the night bed time -- that's when I take it so it'll relax me (because I have terrible insomnia). Could you please explain that?

And what does CRH stand for?

Ray Peat's article on hot flushes and aging: Hot Flashes, Energy, And Aging
It emphasizes that hot flushes is a result of systemic aging, and not just amount of estrogen:

"Many of the changes occurring around the menopause, such as the rise of free fatty acids and decrease of glucose availability, increase the sensitivity of the CRH nerves, causing the fluctuations of the adrenergic system to cause larger increases of ACTH and cortisol."​

@TNT

Are you cycling progesterone? Liver may get used to it and start clearing it rapidly.​

I'd also try to take progesterone away from the night bed time so that it may not sync with typical cortisol peaking in early morning hours.​

(see posts starting from "Dr. Peat Wrote Several Times That Progesterone Increases Fat Oxidation. What?")​

To decrease cortisol, in addition to sweet food intake, I'd also use red light at night.​

​

 

[Lejeboca]

Lejeboca, no, I'm not cycling progesterone. TBH, I'm afraid that if I cycle off it, the hot flashes and adrenaline surges will be so intense, I'll die. What's your suggestion for how to do it? I'm using Progestene, both topically and orally.

My answers are in the thread I've linked.

And what does CRH stand for?

CRH stands for corticotropin release hormone (Dr. Peat defines the acronym in his article, I've linked).

 

[TNT]

My answers are in the thread I've linked.


CRH stands for corticotropin release hormone (Dr. Peat defines the acronym in his article, I've linked).

Lejeboca, I read the entire thread, and I don't see the answers to my questions. I'm struggling to understand this, so maybe I need the "for dummies" version? I don't know what you mean by "I'd also try to take progesterone away from the night bed time so that it may not sync with typical cortisol peaking in early morning hours" -- I don't understand how it synchronizes with cortisol. And I'm not sure how to cycle it or how to survive the off-cycle.

 

[Nicole W.]

I actually already have a fullscript account but never really thought to order that supplement from them because it is pretty cheap. I will order it through them next time though. Thank you for mentioning this.

 

[Lejeboca]

Thought I'd cross-reference here my recent post about P and its metabolites Dr. Peat Wrote Several Times That Progesterone Increases Fat Oxidation. What?

 

[TNT]

Thought I'd cross-reference here my recent post about P and its metabolites Dr. Peat Wrote Several Times That Progesterone Increases Fat Oxidation. What?

@Lejeboca , thank you! I'm not sure if I understand this, but is it saying that cortisol correlates with progesterone? If that's the case, then I shoudn't take it at bedtime, because it would make it harder to sleep, with high cortisol?

 

[Lejeboca]

@Lejeboca , thank you! I'm not sure if I understand this, but is it saying that cortisol correlates with progesterone? If that's the case, then I shoudn't take it at bedtime, because it would make it harder to sleep, with high cortisol?

Yes, P correlates with cortisol according to those studies. In terms of P taking regimen, I'd try the one that @Lollipop2 is describing from her experience in that thread.

 

[Birdie]

Just note that Ray would explain that it wasn't a good idea to take isolated amino acids like what somebody suggested. In the case of hot flashes, you want to correct the underlying problem, not just take something to mask the symptom. But, I know it sounds miserable and I'm not sure I wouldn't want a quick fix. So.

You might temporarily do the quick fix, but listen to the people who are giving Ray's advice.

I've used Progest-E for the past few years ( 2011- to now) and before that one from the pharmacy. I've not had hot flashes more that about 5 nights total using Progest-E. I'm about to take mine now. Every evening, 3 big drops. Some people take more. Lately, I've added 6 drops on the tummy at bedtime of Progestene for sleep since ecstatic hamster said his wife does that.

 

[TNT]

Just note that Ray would explain that it wasn't a good idea to take isolated amino acids like what somebody suggested. In the case of hot flashes, you want to correct the underlying problem, not just take something to mask the symptom. But, I know it sounds miserable and I'm not sure I wouldn't want a quick fix. So.

You might temporarily do the quick fix, but listen to the people who are giving Ray's advice.

I've used Progest-E for the past few years ( 2011- to now) and before that one from the pharmacy. I've not had hot flashes more that about 5 nights total using Progest-E. I'm about to take mine now. Every evening, 3 big drops. Some people take more. Lately, I've added 6 drops on the tummy at bedtime of Progestene for sleep since ecstatic hamster said his wife does that.

Birdie, what would it mean to correct the underlying problem? I'd like to do that, but I have no idea what that is in this case.