Drinking caffeine may worsen the hot flashes and night sweats that affect roughly two-thirds of women as they go through menopause, survey data suggest.

“While these findings are preliminary, our study suggests that limiting caffeine intake may be useful for those postmenopausal women who have bothersome hot flashes and night sweats,” said researcher Dr. Stephanie Faubion, director of the Women's Health Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

But caffeine — a stimulant found in coffee and colas — appears to have a different effect on women beginning the transition into menopause (known as perimenopause). In their case, caffeine might boost their mood, memory, and concentration, the survey suggested.

The findings, published in the journal Menopause, stem from a Mayo Clinic poll of more than 1,800 menopausal women conducted between 2005 and 2011. Symptoms were compared between caffeine users and nonusers.

“Menopause symptoms can be challenging, but there are many management strategies to try,” Faubion said.

One way to gain some control over bothersome symptoms is to be careful about what one eats, she added. That means generally forgoing spicy food and hot beverages, as well as caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco.