9 foods that fight hot flashes in men and what to avoid

Certain foods and diet patterns can help reduce hot flash frequency and intensity in men, especially when episodes are linked to hormone shifts, blood sugar swings, or inflammation. The best approach is not one “miracle food,” but a repeatable way of eating that keeps your internal thermostat more stable.

Key takeaways

• Hot flashes in men are vasomotor symptoms (sudden heat surges with sweating). They are common in men with prostate cancer, particularly those on androgen deprivation therapy.^[1]
• According to the 2018 AUA guideline, testosterone deficiency is diagnosed only when symptoms or signs are present and two early morning total testosterone measurements are below 300 ng/dL, with LH then measured to help find the cause.^[2]
• Diet has not been tested as a treatment for hot flashes in men. A Mediterranean-style eating pattern is a reasonable base because clinical trials link it to anti-inflammatory effects and better control of waist size and obesity.^[3]
• A 2021 meta-analysis of 41 clinical studies in Reproductive Toxicology found that soy protein and isoflavones did not change testosterone or estrogen levels in men.^[4] For men worried about hormone effects, soy foods are a reasonable option.
• A 2010 systematic review of hot flashes in men with prostate cancer found that diethylstilbestrol, megestrol acetate, and cyproterone acetate cut hot flash counts by 75% or more but can cause serious or bothersome side effects.^[1] The benefit of other treatments was uncertain or unproven.^[1]

Why men get hot flashes

Hot flashes can happen to men. Food has not been tested as a treatment for them. Still, cutting common triggers, keeping blood sugar steady, and eating in a way that supports heart and metabolic health are low-risk changes to try alongside a medical evaluation.

Vasomotor symptoms, also called VMS, are sudden heat surges with flushing and sweating that can be followed by chills. According to a 2010 systematic review in Maturitas, hot flushes are common and bothersome in men with prostate cancer and in men on androgen deprivation therapy, and they reduce quality of life.^[1] Androgen deprivation therapy means medications that sharply lower testosterone to treat prostate cancer.

Diet may matter because hot flashes involve brain temperature control, hormone signaling, and metabolic health. Meals built on protein, fruits, vegetables, and high-fiber carbs support steadier blood sugar. No trial has tested whether that reduces hot flashes in men.

How food can help calm hot flashes

1) Hot flashes start in the brain’s thermostat

The hypothalamus is a small brain region that regulates temperature, sleep, and hormone signaling. Most clinical research on hot flashes in men comes from androgen deprivation therapy. The 2010 Maturitas review concluded that the mechanism behind hot flashes in men still needs to be worked out.^[1]

The leading explanation is a rapid drop in sex hormones. This happens during prostate cancer hormone therapy or after testosterone treatment is stopped abruptly. Estradiol is a form of estrogen that men make mainly by converting testosterone, so it falls when testosterone falls. Very low estradiol is thought to unsettle temperature regulation in susceptible men.

2) Phytoestrogens can act like mild receptor modulators

Phytoestrogens are plant compounds whose structure resembles estrogen. A 2019 review in Molecules describes isoflavones as among the most estrogenic of these compounds.^[5] Isoflavones are found mainly in soybeans and soy products, as daidzein and genistein, and they can have estrogenic or antiestrogenic effects in the body.^[5] That is one reason soy shows up on lists of foods for hot flashes. Whether soy reduces hot flashes in men has not been established.

For men, the practical question is safety. The 2021 Reproductive Toxicology meta-analysis measured total testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, and estrone in men and found that soy protein and isoflavones changed none of them, regardless of dose or study length.^[4]

3) Blood sugar swings are a practical target when symptoms track with hunger or crashes

Insulin resistance means cells respond poorly to insulin, which pushes blood glucose higher and makes it swing more across the day. Whether insulin resistance or glucose swings drive hot flashes in men has not been studied. Steadier meals built on low-GI carbs and fiber are still a sensible experiment when hot flashes cluster with hunger, cravings, or sugar crashes.

Glycemic index, also called GI, is a ranking of how fast a carb raises blood sugar. High-GI foods like candy and sugary drinks raise glucose quickly. Low-GI foods like beans and oats digest more slowly and cause smaller spikes.

4) Inflammation and heart health

Chronic low-grade inflammation is common in men with obesity, poor sleep, and cardiovascular disease. A 2022 review in Nutrients examined registered clinical trials of the Mediterranean diet, most of which focused on cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and cancer.^[3] The authors attributed most of the diet’s benefits to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and to better control of waist size and obesity.^[3] The review did not address hot flashes, so the case for this pattern in men with hot flashes rests on its broader cardiometabolic benefits.

Omega-3 fatty acids are fats found in fish and some plants. According to a 2002 American Heart Association scientific statement in Circulation, people without known heart disease should eat a variety of fish, preferably oily fish, at least twice a week.^[6] Omega-3 fats have not been shown to reduce hot flashes in men.

Conditions linked to hot flashes in men

• Androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer: Hot flashes are common in men on this treatment and reduce quality of life.^[1] The therapy lowers testosterone sharply on purpose.
• Testosterone deficiency: Male hypogonadism is a clinical syndrome. Diagnosis requires both symptoms and repeat morning blood tests showing low testosterone.^[2] Symptoms can include fatigue, low libido, and mood changes. Hot flashes and sweats are less common and tend to occur when levels are very low or fall quickly.
• Metabolic syndrome: A cluster that includes abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL, and elevated glucose. It often overlaps with insulin resistance, sleep disruption, and low testosterone.
• Sleep disorders: Sleep apnea and other sleep problems can cause night sweats and are linked with low testosterone.
• Medication effects: Some drugs that affect the nervous system or hormones can trigger flushing and sweating.

Diet has barely been studied as a treatment for hot flashes in men. The food advice below therefore draws on general cardiometabolic research and on common triggers rather than on male hot flash trials. Persistent or severe symptoms deserve a medical workup, not just a grocery list.

Symptoms and signals to watch for

• Sudden warmth or burning sensation in the face, neck, chest, or upper back
• Flushing, sweating, or damp sheets from night sweats
• Fast heartbeat or a “surge” feeling in the chest
• Chills or shivering after sweating
• Sleep fragmentation, meaning repeated awakenings that leave you unrefreshed
• Hot flashes that cluster after alcohol, spicy meals, large sugary snacks, or heavy caffeine

Get medical evaluation sooner in any of these situations:

• Hot flashes start suddenly without an obvious trigger.
• They come with unexplained weight loss, fever, chest pain, or severe anxiety symptoms.
• You are on prostate cancer hormone therapy and symptoms are disrupting your sleep.

What to do about it

1. Step 1: rule out medical causes with the right labs. The 2018 AUA guideline advises confirming low testosterone with two total testosterone measurements drawn in the early morning.^[2] The guideline also advises measuring LH in men with low testosterone, and adding prolactin when LH is low or normal.^[2] Many clinicians also check FSH, free testosterone, estradiol, a blood count, and a metabolic panel, plus PSA in men over 40. If hot flashes are new and unexplained, a clinician may also check thyroid function and review your medications. Your primary care clinician can start this evaluation, or you can see an endocrinologist or urologist for a focused workup.
2. Step 2: try the nine foods below and cut common triggers. Give any change 4 to 8 weeks before judging it, since hot flashes vary from day to day.

   The 9 foods that fight hot flashes

   1. Soy foods: Try edamame, tofu, tempeh, miso, or soy milk. Soy provides isoflavones, plant compounds that resemble estrogen and can have mild estrogen-like effects.^[5] If you are worried about testosterone, the 2021 meta-analysis found no effect of soy on testosterone or estrogen levels in men.^[4]
   2. Flaxseed and other phytoestrogen-rich add-ons: Add ground flaxseed to yogurt or oatmeal. Also rotate lentils, mung beans, sesame seeds, and whole grains. These provide small amounts of phytoestrogens along with extra fiber.
   3. “Cooling” produce with high water and fiber: Use cucumber, watermelon, pears, apples, cabbage, cauliflower, carrots, and romaine as default sides. These foods are hydrating, fiber rich, and tend to be lower GI.
   4. Fatty fish for omega-3 fats: Aim for salmon, sardines, or mackerel at least twice a week, in line with the American Heart Association advice on fish.^[6] Treat this as a heart health choice, since fish and fish oil have not been shown to reduce hot flashes.
   5. Colorful fruits and vegetables: Fill your plate with berries, citrus, broccoli, asparagus, and artichokes. Their fiber helps blunt glucose spikes, and they supply antioxidants.
   6. Leafy greens: Use spinach, kale, collards, Swiss chard, and bok choy. They are good sources of magnesium, calcium, and fiber.
   7. Complex carbs that digest slowly: Choose oats, quinoa, barley, beans, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, and brown rice. If your hot flashes seem to follow hunger, late afternoon crashes, or large desserts, try these swaps first. Whether steadier blood sugar reduces hot flashes in men has not been studied.
   8. Herbal teas: Chamomile, sage, or red clover tea in the evening is a caffeine-free option. Keep expectations realistic. Check with a clinician before using herbs if you have liver disease, take blood thinners, or take multiple medications.
   9. Protein plus fiber snacks: If your hot flashes or night sweats flare after long gaps without food, try Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, a handful of nuts, or an apple with nut butter. The aim is to avoid long gaps without food and the hunger that follows.

   What to limit if you want fewer hot flashes

   • Sugary foods and drinks: They spike glucose and can be followed by a rebound crash.
   • Ultra-processed foods: They tend to be higher in sodium and refined carbs, and some men notice worse night sweats with heavy intake.
   • Spicy foods and very hot foods or drinks: They can provoke flushing and sweating.
   • Caffeine and alcohol: Both can worsen sleep and increase flushing in some men, so test your personal threshold.
   • Chocolate: It combines sugar with caffeine-like compounds, so keep portions small if it is a trigger for you.
3. Step 3: track, adjust, and consider medical treatment when needed. Keep a 14 day diary of episode timing, food, alcohol, caffeine, sleep, and stress, then change one variable at a time. Few treatments are available for hot flashes caused by prostate cancer hormone therapy, and some are avoided in these patients.^[1] If you are on that therapy, make treatment decisions with your oncology team. If labs confirm hypogonadism from another cause, the LH and FSH pattern helps classify it as primary or secondary, and that classification guides treatment. Men with a secondary pattern who want to preserve fertility may be candidates for enclomiphene, an oral medication that raises the body’s own LH and testosterone. Testosterone replacement therapy is used for documented hypogonadism when clinically indicated, but it suppresses sperm production.

For men whose hot flashes are not explained by cancer treatment, Veedma offers testing that includes total and free testosterone measured by LC-MS/MS with LH and FSH, or a review of labs you already have, with care from licensed providers. When appropriate, treatment is enclomiphene or an enclomiphene plus tadalafil tablet. Enclomiphene is not an FDA-approved drug; it is prescribed after a provider confirms the diagnosis and is compounded by a licensed U.S. pharmacy.

Myth vs fact

Myth: Soy automatically lowers testosterone in men.

Fact: A 2021 meta-analysis of 41 clinical studies found that soy protein and isoflavones did not change total or free testosterone in men.^[4]

Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to prevent hot flashes.

Fact: No study has shown that skipping meals prevents hot flashes in men. Some men notice worse episodes when they get very hungry, so regular meals are a better experiment than extreme restriction.

Myth: Herbal teas are always risk free because they are “natural.”

Fact: Herbs can interact with medications and vary in strength, so treat them like mild drugs and clear them with your clinician if you have medical conditions.

Myth: Hot flashes are just a comfort issue.

Fact: In men, hot flashes are common and bothersome during hormone therapy for prostate cancer, and they reduce quality of life.^[1] New or severe hot flashes without that explanation deserve a medical evaluation that includes testosterone testing.

Bottom line

Food is not a proven treatment for hot flashes in men. A steady eating pattern is still low risk and supports heart and metabolic health. Build meals around soy and other legumes, high-water produce, fatty fish, leafy greens, and slow-digesting carbs. Limit sugar, ultra-processed foods, alcohol, and heavy caffeine. If symptoms are new, frequent, or disrupt your sleep, get a medical evaluation that includes repeat morning testosterone with LH and FSH, and work with a clinician on a plan that combines nutrition with the right medical care.

References

1. Frisk J. Managing hot flushes in men after prostate cancer–a systematic review. Maturitas. 2010;65:15-22. PMID: 19962840
2. Mulhall JP, Trost LW, Brannigan RE, et al. Evaluation and Management of Testosterone Deficiency: AUA Guideline. J Urol. 2018;200:423-432. PMID: 29601923
3. Finicelli M, Di Salle A, Galderisi U, et al. The Mediterranean Diet: An Update of the Clinical Trials. Nutrients. 2022;14. PMID: 35889911
4. Reed KE, Camargo J, Hamilton-Reeves J, et al. Neither soy nor isoflavone intake affects male reproductive hormones: An expanded and updated meta-analysis of clinical studies. Reprod Toxicol. 2021;100:60-67. PMID: 33383165
5. Křížová L, Dadáková K, Kašparovská J, et al. Isoflavones. Molecules. 2019;24. PMID: 30893792
6. Kris-Etherton PM, Harris WS, Appel LJ, et al. Fish consumption, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids, and cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 2002;106:2747-57. PMID: 12438303