In this article:
1/ What happens during menopause?
3/ Why does weight gain happen during menopause?
4/ Important nutrients during menopause
5/ Lifestyle changes to follow before, during, and after menopause
Menopause is both a universal experience and an incredibly misunderstood one. The years leading up to it, a phase known as perimenopause, come with a variety of physical and emotional changes that can be challenging and confusing—and it seems like there’s often no clear guidance on what to do. That’s a shame since the right knowledge can make all the difference, helping you feel your best as you go through the transition and reduce your stress about what’s to come. Here’s more about the science of menopause, the symptoms to look out for, and how nutrition fits into it all.
What happens during menopause?
Menopause is defined as the moment you’ve gone a full year without having a period. But it’s so much more than that. When many people say menopause, they are actually referring to a multi-year transition from having steady hormone levels and regular periods, then fluctuating hormone levels and irregular periods, and ultimately low hormone levels and no periods.
Here’s more about the three stages of menopause:
- Perimenopause: During this phase, levels of estrogen and progesterone become erratic—they go down, then back up, then down even lower (continue this on repeat and you get the idea). The randomness of your hormones can cause your periods to get irregular and the classic menopause symptoms to start, including hot flashes and difficulty sleeping. Perimenopause often begins between 40 and 50 and lasts an average of four years.
- Menopause: Defined as the absence of a menstrual cycle for 12 consecutive months, menopause typically occurs around age 51 (but can happen anywhere from 45 to 58 or even earlier if you are on estrogen-blocking drugs or undergo a hysterectomy). At this point, your ovaries have stopped releasing eggs and you can no longer get pregnant.
- Post-menopause: Once you hit that year-mark without a period, you enter this phase. By now, your estrogen and progesterone levels have gotten very low and will stay there. You may still have hot flashes, but many other symptoms of menopause will improve or vanish completely by this point.
Top symptoms of menopause
Menopause won’t affect everyone the same—you may have sudden, severe symptoms or mild off-and-on ones. Brought on by the changing hormone levels, your menopause symptoms may include the following:
- Hot flashes: Happening in three out of every four women going through menopause, these feel like the top part of your body is suddenly flushed and, well, hot. You may also see red splotches on your skin or start sweating profusely.
- Irregular periods: Both the heaviness of your flow can change as can how long you go between periods.
- Vaginal dryness: As estrogen levels go down, your vagina may get drier, which can make sex uncomfortable or painful.
- Difficulty sleeping: When hot flashes occur while you’re asleep they are known as night sweats. These can be really disruptful and make you have low-quality rest.
- Anxiety/mood changes: It’s no surprise that changing hormones can make you feel irritable or upset, but even women who never had PMS can feel this way during menopause. You’re also at a higher risk for depression and anxiety.
- Brain fog: You may have trouble with memory or focusing.
Why does weight gain happen during menopause?
Weight gain during menopause can happen, but that doesn’t mean that the weight gain is because of menopause. During your 40s and 50s there are a lot of other changes going on in your body that cause most women to gain an average of 1.5 pounds a year. For one thing, you start to lose muscle at a faster rate than you did in your 20s or 30s, which can reduce your metabolism.
The one way the changing hormones that occur in menopause have been shown to impact your weight is by shifting where your body stores fat. It gets redistributed and is stored more in the abdominal area, turning it into what’s known as visceral fat (the kind that surrounds organs and is more dangerous to your overall health). The average woman will go from having 5% to 8% of her total fat be visceral fat before perimenopause to 15% to 20% postmenopause.
Important nutrients during menopause
With all of these changes going on in your body, certain nutrients become even more important. Here’s what to prioritize:
Fiber
Fiber can help regulate hormone levels and alleviate some of the symptoms brought on during menopause. Specifically, it can help with digestive health, blood sugar regulation, weight management (since it helps you feel fuller for longer), and reducing your risk of chronic conditions, like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Foods that are high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
Protein
Getting enough of this essential macronutrient is important since it will help you maintain your muscle mass (or at least reduce how much muscle you lose). And the more lean mass you have, the higher your metabolism is, which can help minimize weight gain. Research backs this up: Women who do not ramp up their protein intake during menopause are likelier to gain weight than those who do. Protein is also great for bone health, which can take a hit during menopause (estrogen regulates bone metabolism, so the decrease in the hormone reduces bone density, making you more at risk for osteoporosis and fractures). Good sources of protein include lean meats, poultry, fish, dairy products, beans, and legumes.
Calcium
Calcium is the main mineral found in your bones, so eating more of it during this transition can help keep your bone mineral density high. Good sources of calcium include dairy products like yogurt, cheese, and milk. Non-dairy sources include kale, broccoli, fortified cereals and canned sardines (with the bones!).
Vitamin D
Calcium doesn’t work alone, it also needs vitamin D to help it get absorbed. Your body can make vitamin D from exposure to sunlight, but many still need to supplement (especially during the winter). You can also find vitamin D in foods, including fatty fish (salmon, tuna, or trout), beef liver, mushrooms, eggs, cheese, and milk.
B vitamins
These can help minimize the impact menopause has on your cognitive abilities (that would be things like memory and how sharp your brain feels). B vitamins also can help reduce your risk of stroke and osteoporosis. Find them in animal proteins, dairy foods, beans, and leafy green vegetables.
Lifestyle changes to follow before, during, and after menopause
Low levels of estrogen can raise your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. These healthy habits can help bring those risks back down and help you feel great.
- Eat a balanced diet: In addition to prioritizing the above nutrients, a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fat sources can help provide your body with adequate nutrients and promote balanced blood sugar.
- Exercise regularly: Engaging in regular physical activity—especially strength training—can help increase muscle mass and improve bone health. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise five days a week, including both aerobic and strength training activities.
- Manage stress: Stress may worsen menopause symptoms like mood shifts and can raise chronic inflammation, which ups your risk for many health conditions including heart disease. Engaging in stress-reducing activities like meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises can help.
- Have good sleep hygiene: Poor sleep during menopause can make your mood worse, cause more brain fog, and can raise your risk for chronic conditions like obesity. There’s no quick cure for poor sleep, but it can help to keep away from screens before you go to bed (charge your phone in another room!), go to bed and wake up around the same time every day, and reduce how much alcohol you drink.
The bottom line
Menopause can bring a range of physical and emotional changes, including hot flashes, trouble sleeping, irritability, and an increase in belly fat. Prioritizing certain nutrients, including protein, calcium, vitamin D, and B vitamins can help you feel better, as can having generally healthy habits like moving your body regularly and reducing your stress.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be regarded as a substitute for guidance from your healthcare provider.