Does bone broth help with hot flashes during perimenopause?

Bone broth does not directly reduce hot flashes, and there is no clinical evidence that it lowers their frequency or severity in perimenopausal women. Hot flashes are driven by specific hormonal and neurological mechanisms that food cannot directly override. However, bone broth may play a small supportive role in a dietary pattern that helps reduce the conditions that make hot flashes worse.

Hot flashes occur when declining estrogen disrupts the hypothalamus, the brain region that regulates body temperature. The thermoregulatory zone, meaning the range of core temperature variation the body tolerates before triggering a cooling response, narrows during perimenopause. Small rises in core body temperature can then trigger a flush response even when actual body temperature is normal. This is primarily a neurological and hormonal event, not a nutritional one.

Bone broth is not estrogenic and contains no phytoestrogens, so it does not interact with estrogen receptors the way soy isoflavones do. Its most relevant component for hot flash management is glycine. Research suggests glycine helps lower core body temperature, partly through vasodilation and partly through its role in sleep regulation. Since poor sleep and elevated core temperature at night can worsen night-time hot flashes, glycine may offer a modest indirect benefit, particularly when consumed in the evening. Most of this evidence, though, comes from glycine supplementation studies rather than bone broth specifically, and the concentrations in broth are lower than those used in trials.

Estrogen loss also increases intestinal permeability, a state sometimes called leaky gut, which contributes to systemic inflammation. Elevated inflammatory markers are associated with more severe vasomotor symptoms, including hot flashes. The gelatin and glycine in bone broth may help support gut barrier integrity, potentially reducing some inflammatory load. This is a mechanistic and theoretical benefit rather than one proven in hot flash clinical trials.

Blood sugar stability is separately relevant to hot flash frequency. Sharp blood glucose spikes and drops can trigger or worsen hot flashes. Bone broth contributes protein, which helps slow glucose absorption when consumed with meals or as a snack, supporting more stable blood sugar throughout the day.

A practical serving is one cup (about 240 ml) of bone broth once daily or several times per week. Having it as a warm evening drink may be the most relevant timing given glycine's potential to support cooler core body temperature and better sleep. Homemade broth tends to be higher in glycine and lower in sodium than most commercial options. If using commercial broth, check the sodium content, since high-sodium intake can worsen fluid retention and is not ideal for cardiovascular health as estrogen protection declines.

For hot flash management, bone broth works best alongside other strategies: avoiding known personal triggers like caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, and heat; maintaining a cool sleeping environment; managing stress; and speaking with your provider about evidence-based options including hormone therapy, which has the strongest evidence for vasomotor symptom reduction.

Realistic expectations here are important. No food eliminates hot flashes. Dietary changes can reduce frequency and intensity modestly for some women, but the effect size is small compared to pharmacological or hormonal interventions.

See a doctor if your hot flashes are severely disrupting your sleep or daily functioning, if they are accompanied by night sweats that soak through clothing and sheets, or if they have started suddenly and you have not yet confirmed a perimenopausal diagnosis. You should also speak to your provider if you are experiencing hot flashes after a history of breast cancer or while taking certain medications, since those situations require specific guidance before any intervention, dietary or otherwise.

The PeriPlan app (https://apps.apple.com/app/periplan/id6740066498) lets you log hot flashes daily so you can spot whether patterns shift over time and identify potential dietary or lifestyle triggers. This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about your specific situation.