Los sofocos de la menopausia son más intensos en caso de sobrepeso u obesidad

Durante mucho se ha venido sosteniendo entre los profesionales que las mujeres con sobrepeso u obesidad tienen menos sofocaciones y sudor que las más delgadas. Estos sería así porque la masa grasa (cuanta más) produciría cierta cantidad de hormonas ováricas que protegerían de esos trastornos circulatorios.

Ahora, como cuando nos informaron que el "ratoncito Pérez" no era un ratón que repartía regalos, nos sorpendemos que ocurre lo contrario a lo que nos decían en la relación peso corporal e intensidad de las sofocaciones... y tenemos que hacernos idea a la novedad científica. En realidad el exeso de peso corporal agrava los síntomas habituales de la menopausia y deteriora la calidad de vida durante esos años.

Al parecer, lo que ocurre en realidad -simplificando- es que la acumulación de grasa serviría de aislamiento del medio ambiente e impediría la pérdida de temperatura agravando los síntomas.

Menopause. 2008 May-Jun;15(3):429-34.

Abdominal adiposity and hot flashes among midlife women.

Thurston RC, Sowers MR, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Everson-Rose SA, Lewis TT, Edmundowicz D, Matthews KA.

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15217, USA.
OBJECTIVE: Two competing hypotheses suggest how adiposity may affect menopausal hot flashes. The "thin hypothesis" asserts that aromatization of androgens to estrogens in body fat should be associated with decreased hot flashes. Conversely, thermoregulatory models argue that body fat should be associated with increased hot flashes. The study objective was to examine associations between abdominal adiposity and hot flashes, including the role of reproductive hormones in these associations. DESIGN: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Heart Study (2001-2003) is an ancillary study to the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a community-based cohort study. Participants were 461 women (35% African American, 65% white) ages 45 to 58 years with an intact uterus and at least one ovary. Measures included a computed tomography scan to assess abdominal adiposity; reported hot flashes over the previous 2 weeks; and a blood sample for measurement of follicle-stimulating hormone, estradiol, and sex hormone-binding globulin-adjusted estradiol (free estradiol index). Associations were evaluated within multivariable logistic and linear regression models. RESULTS: Every 1-SD increase in total (odds ratio [OR]=1.28; 95% CI: 1.06-1.55) and subcutaneous (OR=1.30; 95% CI: 1.07-1.58) abdominal adiposity was associated with increased odds of hot flashes in age- and site-adjusted models. Visceral adiposity was not associated with hot flashes. Associations were not reduced when models included reproductive hormone concentrations. CONCLUSION: Increased abdominal adiposity, particularly subcutaneous adiposity, is associated with increased odds of hot flashes, favoring thermoregulatory models of hot flashes. Body fat may not protect women from hot flashes as once thought.

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