Use of dietary supplements and medication among postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms

Abstract

Objectives To assess how postmenopausal women with severe vasomotor symptoms who volunteer for an acupuncture trial (ACUFLASH) differ from the general population (the Norwegian Women and Cancer study, NOWAC); and to describe the use of dietary supplements and medication during trial intervention and follow-up.

Methods Questionnaire data on postmenopausal women regarding demography and use of dietary supplements and medication were compared between the ACUFLASH trial (baseline, 2006–2007, n = 267) and the NOWAC study (2004–2005, n = 331). Additionally, the trial intervention groups, acupuncture and self-care (n = 134) or self-care alone (n = 133), were compared regarding supplements and medication use.

Results The prevalence of dietary supplement use was higher among women with severe vasomotor symptoms (83.9%) than in the population-based sample (74.3%), with particularly extensive use of cod liver oil. The prevalence of medication use was 46.4% in ACUFLASH and 55.0% in NOWAC. Trial participants reported poorer self-reported health, higher education level and tended to be former oral contraceptive users and smokers. At trial baseline, 48.5% of the acupuncture group and 60.3% of the self-care group used dietary supplements (p > 0.05), while 48.5% in the acupuncture group and 45.0% in the self-care group used medication (p > 0.05). Use of supplements for vasomotor symptoms increased significantly in the self-care group at 12 weeks, while it remained unchanged in the acupuncture group. Hormone therapy use increased significantly in both groups after intervention.

Conclusion Postmenopausal women suffering severe vasomotor symptoms used more dietary supplements than the general population. They also had poorer self-reported health, but their medication use was similar to that of the general population. Acupuncture did not influence use of dietary supplements in the randomized intervention.

Key words:

• DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS
• MEDICATION
• POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN
• CLIMACTERIC
• VASOMOTOR SYMPTOMS
• HOT FLUSHES
• POPULATION BASED
• ACUFLASH

Conflict of interest  The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Source of funding  Both ACUFLASH and NOWAC are funded by The Research Council of Norway. NOWAC is also supported by the University of Tromsø. The funding sources had no involvement in the collection, analysis or interpretation of data or in the writing of this manuscript.