Botanical Medicines and Phytonutrients in the Management of Menopausal Hot Flashes

Hot flashes and night sweats (vasomotor symptoms [VMS]) are exceedingly common during the menopausal transition, affecting up to 80% of women. A variety of botanical medicines and phytonutrients are popularly used to address VMS. These include soy isoflavones, black cohosh, flaxseed lignans, red clover extracts, and Siberian rhubarb. This article reviews the evidence for the use of these botanical medicines or phytonutrients in addressing menopausal hot flashes. Safety and adverse effects are also discussed. By and large, these botanical medicines have been found to be both safe and efficacious for menopausal VMS.