Why Some Women Weight Gain During Menopause?

Most women Weight gain during menopause. This Weight gain is usually difficult to reverse. To minimize menopausal overweight, women must increase their physical activity and eat a healthy diet. Hormonal changes during menopause are more likely than ever to cause weight gain, especially around the abdomen, compared to other areas such as the thighs and buttocks, but hormonal changes alone are not necessarily the cause of this weight gain during menopause.

Gain Weight can also be linked to aging, lifestyle, and genetic factors. For example, muscle mass usually decreases with age and fat increases. Losing muscle mass will gradually reduce the amount of calories the body burns, so achieving a healthy and ideal weight becomes a challenge.

The female reproductive life cycle

Four periods in a woman’s life (stages of menopause) in which the body undergoes hormonal changes. These courses include:

Premenopause: Premenopause refers to the fertile period of women in their lives. This period starts from puberty, from the first menstrual period, and ends with the last menstrual period.
Perimenopause: Perimenopause refers to a period of life that is close to menopause. During this time, estrogen levels become inadequate, and progesterone levels decrease. This period varies from woman to woman and may begin in the mid-30s to early 50s. It usually occurs in the 40s and lasts 4 to 11 years. Hot flashes and heat intolerance, sleep disturbances, menstrual cycle changes, headaches, and mood changes, such as irritability, anxiety, depression, and weight gain, are the most common symptoms of this period.
Menopause: Menopause formally occurs when a woman does not experience menstruation for 12 consecutive months. The average age of menopause is 51 years. Until then, it is called the Perimenopause period. Many women experience their worst symptoms during this period. But the symptoms of some of them also intensify in the first year or two after menopause.
Postmenopause: This stage begins immediately, 12 months after the last period. Menopause and postmenopause are two very common terms and are sometimes used interchangeably. However, some hormonal and physical changes may continue after menopause.

Menopause and weight

Women go through menopause after a full 12 months without a menstrual cycle. During and after menopause, women may gain body fat and find it harder to lose weight. There are many reasons why menopause is associated with fat gain.

Drop-in estrogen levels

Changes in estrogen levels help with weight gain. Estrogen is one of the main sex hormones in women, which plays a role in the following:

Maintaining bone health
Regulating cholesterol levels
Physical sex characteristics
Regulating the menstrual cycle

During menopause, estrogen levels drop significantly. Low estrogen during menopause does not directly cause weight gain but may lead to an overall increase in body fat and belly fat. Doctors have linked middle age excess weight to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Hormone replacement therapies may reduce the tendency for belly fat.

Natural aging processes

Weight gain during menopause is also associated with regular aging and lifestyle habits. With age, people tend to be less physically active. Their metabolism also slows down naturally. These variables lead to decreased muscle mass and increased body fat.

From birth to about age 30, muscles get bigger and stronger. But after 30, the body begins to lose mass and reduce muscle function. The cause is sarcopenia associated with aging. Physically inactive people can lose 3 to 5 percent of their muscle mass every decade after 30. Even if a woman is active, she will still lose muscle, but exercising can slow it down.

Poor sleep

Doctors also link menopause to sleep deprivation, which hot flashes or night sweats can cause. Animal research links sleep deprivation to weight gain.

Insulin resistance

Fatigue, mood swings, insomnia, and weight gain are common symptoms of menopause. However, they can also sign a condition called insulin resistance, which affects many women during menopause. Insulin resistance is a precursor to diabetes and can also expose women to many other diseases.

Insulin controls blood sugar, But when blood sugar levels are too high for a long time, the cells desensitize and no longer respond to insulin; in other words, they become insulin resistant. Several factors can cause high blood sugar in women and potentially lead to insulin resistance.
First of all, there is the simple fact that insulin sensitivity changes with age.

Second, many women do not have proper nutrition. A poor diet rich in simple carbohydrates requires more insulin than refined and processed foods for metabolism. This leads to an increase in insulin levels as the cells respond less and less to insulin over time.

Finally, hormonal changes affect how cells respond to insulin. For example, high testosterone is considered a predictor of insulin resistance in postmenopausal women. In some women, decreased estradiol (a type of estrogen) is also associated with insulin resistance. Fluctuations in adrenal and thyroid secretions are also involved.

How does hormonal change in the body affect metabolism?

During the perimenopause period, progesterone levels decline slowly and steadily. In contrast, estrogen levels vary daily and may even fluctuate widely in one day. Early in this period, the ovaries often produce large amounts of estrogen. This is due to the disruption of feedback signals between the ovaries, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland. After this period, the ovaries produce very little estrogen when the menstrual cycle becomes more irregular. The production of this hormone in the ovaries at this stage is even less than during menopause.

Some studies have shown that high levels of estrogen may increase fat. This is because high estrogen levels are associated with weight gain and greater fat accumulation in the body during the reproductive years.

Most fat is stored in the hips and thighs from puberty to perimenopause as subcutaneous fat. Although it is very difficult to melt these fats, this type of fat does not increase disease risk. During menopause, low levels of estrogen cause fat to be stored in the abdomen as visceral fat. This type of fat is associated with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other problems.

Weight change during the perimenopause period

In the perimenopausal transition, women typically gain about 2 to 5 pounds (1 to 2 kg). Some women are gaining more weight during this period. This seems to be especially true in overweight or obese women. Regardless of the hormonal changes, weight gain may also occur as part of aging.

Another factor contributing to perimenopause weight gain is increased appetite and calorie intake in response to hormonal changes. In one study, the hunger hormone levels (ghrelin) in perimenopause women were higher than in postmenopausal women, significantly more. Decreased estrogen levels in late menopause may impair the function of leptin and neuropeptide Y (a hormone that controls satiety and appetite). Therefore, women who have low estrogen levels in the body at the end of this period may be led to consuming more calories.

Weight change during and after menopause

Women may continue to experience hormonal changes and weight gain as they leave perimenopause and enter menopause. Several other factors may play a role in weight gain during menopause. Menopausal women are usually less active than when they were younger, which reduces energy-burning and muscle mass. Postmenopausal women frequently have high fasting insulin and are more prone to insulin resistance. These factors also increase weight and increase the risk of heart disease.

Strategies that can help women lose weight during menopause

Weight loss during and after menopause may seem impossible. Hormonal changes, stress, and the aging process can all be factors that cause weight gain during menopause. However, there are several steps that women can take to facilitate weight loss during this time.

Increasing activity

Regular exercise is a great way to lose weight and improve overall health. Many people lose muscle as they age, and losing muscle can increase body fat. Exercise is a great way to build muscle and prevent age-related muscle loss. Research shows that aerobic exercise can reduce body fat after menopause. Resistance training three times a week can improve lean body mass and reduce fat in postmenopausal women.

A combination of aerobic and resistance training helps reduce body fat and build muscle in women who are not active; it is better to increase their physical activity gradually. Ways to increase the level of activity include:

Doing yard work, such as gardening
Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
Parking farther away from the building entrance
Standing up to take phone calls
Going for a walk

Eating nutrient-rich foods

Making changes in diet is a significant part of losing weight. Nutrient-rich foods should be the basis of meals and snacks. The diet should include colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat protein sources. Tips for a healthy diet include:

Consume a variety of fruits and vegetables
Consumption of lean proteins
Consume whole grains
Consumption of useful fats
Consumption of legumes
Do not eat processed foods
Do not eat foods high in trans or saturated fats
Drink green tea
See a nutritionist

Making sleep a priority

High-quality sleep is vital to maintaining a healthy weight and overall health. Poor quality sleep can lead to weight gain. Sleep disorders are associated with aging and metabolic disorders during menopause. Changes in sleep quality and circadian rhythms can affect the following:

Appetite hormones
Body fat composition
Energy expenditure

In addition to the above, symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats can interfere with sleep. Focusing on getting enough restful sleep can help with menopausal weight loss.

Use of alternative therapies

Although these treatments may not lead to significant weight loss, they can help relieve some symptoms and reduce stress. Some of these methods include:

Hypnosis
Herbal treatments
Yoga
Meditation

Mindful eating

Mindfulness practice while eating can help change eating behaviors and prevent weight gain. Eating consciously can help a person become aware of the internal symptoms rather than eating. This can be a useful way to avoid overeating and eating-related emotional states. In some studies, mindful eating led to reduced food intake in overweight and obese people.

Track food and weight

Tracking meals can help a person determine which unhealthy foods to eat regularly. This information can help make specific dietary changes. Research shows that people who weigh themselves regularly and have a high activity level have clinically significant weight loss.

Planning meals

Planning for the next meal will help you make better choices. To prevent weight gain during menopause, women should fill the kitchen with healthy foods and prepare meals to avoid eating unconsciously.

Get help from friends and family

Family and friends’ support is integral to preventing weight gain during menopause. For example, having a friend can help people stay motivated to exercise.

The bottom line

Menopause in women does not necessarily mean they are obese, and it does not mean that they can not do anything to prevent being overweight. Menopause can be a challenging period for women, both physically and emotionally. However, following a healthy diet, exercising, and getting enough rest can help prevent weight gain and reduce disease risk.

However, it may take some time for women to adjust to the processes in the body; But they must do their best to accept these changes. Because most of them inevitably happen with age. People often experience an increase in body fat during menopause. This is associated with decreased estrogen levels, poor quality sleep, and reduced metabolism and muscle mass. People worried about weight or symptoms of hormonal fluctuations should talk to a gynecologist about appropriate treatment.

By examining and taking a complete history of menopausal women, Dr. Arjang Naim MD gives all the necessary recommendations and, if necessary, hormone therapy for them.

Additional questions

Why does cholesterol go up in menopause?

A drop in the female hormone estrogen is associated with increased total cholesterol levels due to higher levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), “bad” cholesterol, and triglycerides.

What does the ghrelin hormone do?

The specific function of ghrelin is its stimulating effects on food intake, fat deposition, and growth hormone secretion.

Is it possible to have linea nigra in menopause?

linea nigra is less common during pregnancy, but it occurs in men, non-pregnant women, and even children. Hormonal changes probably cause it. The increase in hormones causes the cells that produce melanin in the skin to produce more pigment.