The hypothalamus is the gland responsible for apetite,
sleep cycles, sex hormones and body temperature. A sudden drop in estrogen directly
affects the hypothalumus.
Hot flashes are usually
associated with menopause (as the previous answer says) because during this time
estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels drop. Hot flashes, however, certainly
can be experienced well before menopause. I know from personal
experience.
There could be many factors which could cause
hormonal fluctuations in a woman's body - typically anytime after
menstruation has started. Hot flashes for a woman who is too young to be going through
menopause is an immediate sign of a chemical imbalance. More commonly, during and after
pregnancy (especially if the woman is breastfeeding) estrogen levels are very low. Many
women experience mild to moderate hotflashes during this time (it's like nature's way of
preparing us for the rest of our lives!).
Usually, if a
girl begins menstruating at a young age, she will probably go through menopause at an
older age. Girls who start their periods later than average (15 yrs +) typically start
menopause earlier than average (possibly in the 40s). But doctors and scientists are
now noticing that traditional trends in female hormone behavior are dramatically
changing. The average age for girls to start their periods is actually getting
younger. Some think this is due to the large amount of synthetic hormones we are
consuming in our meat and dairy products.
But to answer
your question very simply - I would say that the youngest age hot flashes are possible
(although unlikely) is anytime after menstruation has started.
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