Children, antidepressants found to relieve hot flashes, experts say

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- She stomps, spins and do-si-dos, and Teresa Vandeven loves every minute of it. But dancing became harder for the active 57-year-old when she experienced hot flashes. She would have up to 20 a day.

"I was really feeling miserable and uncomfortable," Vandeven said.

She isn't alone. About 75 percent of menopausal woman will experience hot flashes. But can you prevent them?

Dr. Bonnie McGregor recently discovered that some younger women who had surgery that put them into menopause had an advantage against hot flashes - children.

"The women that had children under the age of 13 reported fewer hot flash symptoms," McGregor said.

One possible reason is that they speculate that they might produce more oxytocin, the love hormone.

Some of Dr. Katherine Guthrie's recent studies have looked at remedies that don't work.

"There are a lot of things that I think women need to be informed, what really works and what really doesn't," Guthrie said.

She found omega-three supplements, exercise and yoga don't relieve hot flashes, but one thing that did work: antidepressants.

"We saw improvement in more than half the women," she said.

Vandeven participated in a study to test antidepressants for hot flashes. She went from having 20 a day to just a couple a week.

"My life changed, just changed. I wasn't miserable. I had a good night's sleep. I was feeling better," she said.