Plasma cortisol concentrations in women with menopausal flushes

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Menopause Research
• Stress Physiology

Background:

• Stressful stimuli commonly increase cortisol secretion.
• Post-menopausal hot flushes cause significant physical discomfort for women.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of post-menopausal hot flushes on plasma cortisol concentrations.
• To determine if hot flushes trigger a cortisol stress response.

Main Methods:

• Studied 7 women with frequent post-menopausal flushes.
• Monitored subjects subjectively and objectively using skin temperature recorders over 3 hours (8:00-11:00 a.m.).
• Measured plasma cortisol levels at intervals.

Main Results:

• Cortisol levels were highest at 8:00 a.m., declining thereafter, consistent with normal circadian variation.
• No increase in plasma cortisol concentrations was observed during or after hot flush episodes.
• Individual hot flush events did not correlate with elevated cortisol.

Conclusions:

• Post-menopausal hot flushes do not appear to stimulate cortisol secretion in this study's setting.
• The physiological stress response, as measured by cortisol, is not activated by hot flushes under these conditions.
• Further research may explore other physiological markers or contexts.