Menopause marks the end of a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle and the need for contraception. However, menopause is also a time when women are at increased risk for heart disease, depression, and bone loss.
According to the North American Menopause Society, a woman is considered to be in menopause if she hasn’t had a period for 12 consecutive months. After 11 consecutive months of menstruation, the clock starts ticking again.
Menopause occurs when ovarian function declines with age. Along with this, estrogen, progesterone, and other hormones also decrease. The average age at which most women reach menopause is 51, but for some women it can occur as young as 45 or as old as 55. Women during menopause are no longer able to conceive.
Common symptoms of menopause include aging skin, mood changes, vaginal dryness, memory problems, and weight gain. Women may also experience decreased sex drive, hair loss, and lack of sleep. A healthy lifestyle and nutrition can help alleviate some of these symptoms and help women feel their best.
What happens to a woman’s body during menopause?
As mentioned earlier, menopause is a natural consequence of aging. A woman’s ovarian reserve is reduced along with the hormones normally secreted by the ovaries.
Women may also have induced menopause if they have their ovaries removed, receive chemotherapy or radiation therapy, or use drugs that can impair ovarian function.
Estrogen levels naturally drop during menopause, which can have negative effects on your heart, metabolism, and bone health. According to a paper published in 2023, these hormonal changes increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis, to name a few symptoms. cell.
Cardiovascular disease is more common in menopausal women than in men of the same age, according to a 2022 study published in the journal Menopause. American Journal of Physiology – Cardiac and Circulatory Physiology.
According to a review of herbal supplements published in 2021, estrogen deficiency in the brain can also cause mood changes, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, and hot flashes. Frontiers of pharmacology.
How is menopause different from perimenopause?
Perimenopause refers to the transition period before a woman’s menstrual periods completely stop. Perimenopausal women may experience symptoms similar to menopausal women, but menopause is characterized by a complete cessation of monthly menstrual cycles for an entire year.
Perimenopausal women are more likely to experience hot flashes, age spots, and night sweats, but menopausal women can also experience hot flashes and sleep deprivation. Both groups may experience weight gain and an increase in cholesterol and other fats in their blood. Loss of sexual desire and bone mass. and changes in skin integrity.
Should a woman’s nutrition and supplementation strategy change during menopause?
Short answer: Yes.
Your risk for heart disease and weight gain increases during menopause, so reducing your overall calorie intake may help prevent heart disease and unwanted weight gain.
Postmenopausal women with obesity experience better weight loss results and improvement in bulimia with dietary intervention than with exercise alone, according to a study published in the journal 2019. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
Losing weight may improve symptoms in menopausal women. According to a study published in 2023, nutrientsFor obese or overweight women, losing 11 pounds (5 kilograms) improved hot flash tolerability by 30 percent.
Because postmenopausal women no longer have monthly menstrual cycles, their iron requirements decrease from 18 milligrams (mg) per day to 8 mg per day for women over 50 years of age. Most powdered milk supplements for women over 50 do not contain or do not contain iron.
However, a study published in the journal 2020 found that while the use of calcium supplements is controversial, women over 51 need less than 1,000 mg of calcium per day to prevent bone loss. The dosage will increase to 1,200mg. nutrients. Older adults who took calcium had an approximately 20 percent increased risk of kidney stones and heart attack.
Women who are lactose intolerant or who have already been diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis may need calcium supplements. Women should talk to their health care provider about the pros and cons of calcium supplementation.
Who should not take menopause supplements?
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts as an antioxidant in the body. Research published in 2022 nutrients We showed that vitamin E supplementation may reduce common postmenopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, lipids, and vaginal changes. This study recommends a dose of 400 to 1,000 mg per day, and further research is needed to reach a consensus.
However, high doses of vitamin E have a blood thinning effect, so vitamin E supplementation is not recommended for women taking blood thinners. Further research is needed to confirm the daily intake of vitamin E.
According to the European Menopause and Andropause Association, vitamin D deficiency is associated with poor sleep, depression, sexual dysfunction, and joint pain in postmenopausal women. However, if a woman is not vitamin D deficient, taking supplements will not improve her symptoms.
A commonly used supplement by menopausal women is rhapontic rhubarb, commonly sold as ERr731 or Siberian rhubarb. A study published in 2023 found that this hormone-free supplement, when combined with saffron, reduced hot flashes in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Voprosy Pitania.
However, supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, so women should check with their health care provider before taking them. Herbal preparations and supplements do not have a Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) because they are not considered essential nutrients in the human diet.
Bottom line: People taking other medications, whether prescription or over-the-counter, should be careful about possible interactions with herbal supplements.
