Evidence was insufficient to show whether exercise is an effective treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms .
One small study suggested that HT is more effective than exercise .
Evidence was insufficient to show the relative effectiveness of exercise when compared with HT or yoga
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that many perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women will experience menopausal symptoms ; hot flushes are the most common .
Symptoms caused by fluctuating levels of oestrogen may be alleviated by hormone therapy ( HT ) , but a marked global decline in its use has result ed from concerns about the risks and benefits of HT .
Consequently , many women are seeking alternatives .
As large numbers of women are choosing not to take HT , it is increasingly important to identify evidence -based lifestyle modifications that have the potential to reduce vasomotor menopausal symptoms .
OBJECTIVES To examine the effectiveness of any type of exercise intervention in the management of vasomotor symptoms in symptomatic perimenopausal and postmenopausal women .
Habitual physical activity and menopausal symptoms: a case-control study.
A case-control study design was used to examine whether habitual physical activity prior to the final menstrual period ( FMP ) was associated with reduced risk of vasomotor and other symptoms during the perimenopausal period . Both cases and controls were identified through a screening interview with r and omly selected women members , ages 48 - 52 , of a large health maintenance organization . Cases ( n = 82 ) were defined as women 3 - 12 months past their FMP who reported regularly having hot flashes or night sweats at least once a day or night during the 3 months following their FMP . Controls ( n = 89 ) were of the same biologic age with respect to the FMP but reported vasomotor symptoms less than once a week during the reference time period . Neither cases nor controls had a history of hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) , hysterectomy , or bilateral oophorectomy .  Case-control status , habitual physical activity ( including recreational , housework , child care , and occupational activity ) , and psychological and somatic symptoms were assessed by self-report . Participation in vigorous recreational activity during the year prior to the FMP was not associated with reduced risk of frequent vasomotor symptoms after the FMP ( odds ratio [ OR ] = 1.03 for a 50-unit increase in activity score , 95 % confidence interval [ CI ] = 0.97 - 1.1 ) . This lack of relationship was observed in all domains of activity . Factors that were associated with decreased risk included higher body mass index ( BMI ) ( weight in kg/(height in meters)2 ) ( OR = 0.95 per 1 unit increase in BMI , 95 % CI = 0.90 - 1.00 ) and higher education ( having a college degree relative to less education ) ( OR = 0.56 , 95 % CI = 0.40 - 0.80 ) .  Physical activity  was also unassociated with reduced risk of psychologic distress , depressive feelings , or somatic symptoms , but , relative to controls , having vasomotor symptoms ( being a case ) was strongly associated with increased risk of experiencing those symptoms ( OR ranging from 1.83 for psychologic distress to 2.84 for depressive feelings ) . These findings suggest that regular physical activity before the FMP may not reduce the likelihood of experiencing symptoms during the perimenopause , although the small sample size may limit the inferences that can be drawn
Evidence was insufficient to show whether exercise is an effective treatment for vasomotor menopausal symptoms .
One small study suggested that HT is more effective than exercise .
Evidence was insufficient to show the relative effectiveness of exercise when compared with HT or yoga
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests that many perimenopausal and early postmenopausal women will experience menopausal symptoms ; hot flushes are the most common .
Symptoms caused by fluctuating levels of oestrogen may be alleviated by hormone therapy ( HT ) , but a marked global decline in its use has result ed from concerns about the risks and benefits of HT .
Consequently , many women are seeking alternatives .
As large numbers of women are choosing not to take HT , it is increasingly important to identify evidence -based lifestyle modifications that have the potential to reduce vasomotor menopausal symptoms .
OBJECTIVES To examine the effectiveness of any type of exercise intervention in the management of vasomotor symptoms in symptomatic perimenopausal and postmenopausal women .