Hot Flashes in Men: What Causes Them and How to Get Rid of Them?

Most people don't know that men can also experience hot flashes. Yet, they're quite common in men. The underlying cause of hot flashes in both men and women is hormones. In men, it may be related to testosterone levels.

While hot flashes aren't a serious condition, the physical and emotional sensations can be unpleasant. And hot flashes are a sign that your hormonal balance is out of balance. That's why this blog post provides all the information you need about hot flashes in men and how to get rid of them.

If you're a man who suffers from hot flashes, the most common symptom is sudden, intense heat. It usually begins as a feeling of warmth in the neck or face. However, the symptoms of hot flashes vary from person to person:

• Warm and red skin
• Sweating
• Palpitations: you feel your heart pounding in your chest or throat
• Feelings of panic
• Irritation

A hot flash can last anywhere from 2 to 30 minutes on average. Some men only have a few per month, while for others they occur more often [1] .

There are two causes of hot flashes in men, both of which involve the same factor: the hormone testosterone. The hypothalamus is responsible for regulating body temperature, and hot flashes occur when the hypothalamus sends false signals.

This part of the brain thinks the body is overheating, when that's not the case. The question is why it sends these false signals. The cause is a lack of testosterone.

In women, estrogen levels drop quite dramatically once a woman reaches menopause. In men, there's no abrupt drop in testosterone. Levels of this hormone gradually decline by about 1% per year after the age of forty.

Most men will maintain sufficient testosterone levels and therefore won't experience hot flashes. However, some men do experience a drop in testosterone levels. This can have several causes.

One of the reasons testosterone levels may drop is when a man is being treated for prostate cancer with androgen deprivation therapy.

Prostate cancer cells require male hormones to grow and survive. Another name for male sex hormones is androgens. Testosterone is one of the androgens, and this hormone can therefore stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells.

That is why hormone therapy is used: This slows down the production of this hormone, so that the growth of cancer cells is also slowed down [2] . There are two possible forms of treatment:

• Medication - this is a temporary procedure in which testosterone production is blocked with medication. Another name for this is chemical castration.
• Surgery - This involves removing the testicles. This is an irreversible procedure and used to be the only way to curb testosterone production.

On average, 70 to 80% of men treated with androgen deprivation therapy experience hot flashes.

Besides the above-mentioned therapy, the cause of low testosterone levels, and therefore hot flashes, could also be found in lifestyle and nutrition.

• Too much stress
• Unhealthy food
• A lack of exercise
• Too little or poor quality sleep

The factors mentioned above all negatively impact testosterone production or hormone balance in general. Fortunately, there's a lot you can do to address the hot flashes this causes.

I then recommend that you carefully read our article on increasing testosterone in men .

The best way to address hot flashes is to increase your testosterone levels. You can influence this in several ways. We've written a comprehensive article about increasing testosterone levels.

A nutritional supplement can help maintain normal testosterone levels.

You can boost testosterone production by doing more physical exercise. Strength training, in particular, has a positive impact on testosterone levels [3] .

It's recommended to train regularly with weights, focusing primarily on a full-body workout. This exercises almost all your muscles and stimulates testosterone production the most.

Unhealthy eating can also be a cause of low testosterone levels. This mainly concerns processed foods, which contain many unhealthy trans fats and polyunsaturated fatty acids [4] .

Products containing soy, alcohol and high sugar consumption can also cause a drop in testosterone.

It's best to avoid these foods as much as possible. Try to cook for yourself as often as possible. Use fresh products, such as vegetables, meat, and fish. Avoid packets, bags, and ready-made meals. These contain more of the aforementioned fats, too much salt, and other additives.

If you'd like to learn more about which foods negatively impact testosterone production and how to make healthier choices, read more here.

Stress has a major negative impact on hormone balance and can be the cause of low testosterone levels. During periods of stress, cortisol production increases, and this hormone inhibits testosterone production.

Especially in young men, stress is one of the major causes of declining testosterone levels and may be the reason you get hot flashes.

It is usually impossible to completely avoid stress, but there is a lot you can do to become more resilient to stress and to incorporate more relaxation into your life.

Meditation and mindfulness are useful techniques that can help you better manage the stresses in your life. Build moments of calm into your day, for example, by taking a walk in nature or engaging in a relaxing hobby.

The less you experience stress, the better your hormone levels will remain balanced and you will be less likely to experience hot flashes.

Make sure you get at least 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. Your hormone levels recover during sleep. When you sleep poorly, cortisol levels actually rise, which has an inhibitory effect on testosterone [5] . Poor sleep can therefore be the cause of hot flashes in men.

Give your body the chance to rest well at night by making your bedroom as dark as possible and going to sleep and getting up at regular times.

The deep sleep phase is particularly important for testosterone production. If you don't get enough deep sleep, consult our article on improving deep sleep .

These 4 steps can help you keep your testosterone levels as balanced as possible. For men, this is the best way to reduce the risk of hot flashes.