A recent study by the journal Menopause looked at the effect of a Chinese herbal supplement upon hot flashes during menopause. They found that women taking the supplement had a 62% drop in hot flashes, compared to women taking a placebo, who had a 52% drop.
COMMENT: The most interesting finding from this study isn't that women taking the supplement had a 62% drop in hot flashes, but rather that a placebo was effective at reducing hot flashes by 52%. It seems that an inexpensive pill with no side-effects (i.e. a placebo) should be the 1st line therapy, and not the more expensive proprietary Chinese herbal formula with unknown side-effects.
