What really helps with hot flashes? I’m 56 and it’s driving me crazy. I read something about Di-indolylmethane, which restores the imbalance between estrogen and progesterone. Does that help?
Female, 56 years
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
Di-indolylmethane is a vegetable substance that occurs in, among other things, cabbages. Much research is being done on it because it may be useful in the treatment of cancer. It is offered on the internet as a remedy ‘against all ills’ and that is quackery: the effect on none of the ailments for which it is touted has been well researched. Hot flashes are also not caused by an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone, but by a deficiency of both. What helps against hot flashes is an estrogen patch. GPs do not prescribe it quickly because the health benefits of long-term use of estrogens do not outweigh the disadvantages (such as the gradual increase in the risk of breast cancer and the slightly increased risk of a heart attack or stroke), but if you have many complaints, there is nothing against sticking an estrogen patch for a while. It is not generally possible to say how long it will be safe, so consult your doctor.
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