Aerobic exercise may relieve menopause symptoms

Engaging in 6 months of regular aerobic workouts may help women to reduce the mood changes, irritability, and vasomotor symptoms that often accompany the transition to menopause, Finnish researchers report.

A total of 176 symptomatic, sedentary, recently post-menopausal women aged 45 to 63 were randomized to either unsupervised aerobic training (eg, walking, swimming, cycling, skiing) for 50 minutes 4 times weekly for 24 weeks or twice-monthly health lectures (controls). They reported their menopause-related symptoms twice daily by telephone and ranked them according to the perceived level of disturbance.

Of 154 women who completed the 6-month study, compared with controls the exercise group reported a decline in the prevalence of night sweats, irritability and depression, mood swings, headache, and urinary symptoms. Vaginal dryness was unaffected.

Moilanen JM, Mikkola TS, Raitanen JA, et al. Effect of aerobic training on menopausal symptoms-a randomized controlled trial. Menopause. 2012;19(6): DOI:10.1097/gme.Ob013e31823cc5f7.