Muscle pain

• From the age of 30, muscle mass begins to decline. This is normal. During menopause, this process can accelerate due to decreasing oestrogen levels.
• Many women then experience muscle issues. They suffer from muscle pain, stiffness, and loss of muscle mass.
• Collagen production also decreases, which can lead to stiff and painful muscles.
• Lastly, the hormone leptin plays a role. During menopause, you may become less sensitive to leptin, which can increase inflammation and muscle symptoms.
• This doesn’t necessarily mean you will experience muscle issues. By taking good care of yourself, you can keep your muscles strong and healthy. Nutrition, exercise, and rest play a significant role. Additionally, there are various treatments that can help.

During menopause, your ovaries gradually stop producing oestrogen and progesterone. In the early stages of menopause, both sex hormones fluctuate and decrease significantly. When oestrogen levels begin to drop, it affects collagen production—a protein that ensures strong and flexible muscles.

Oestrogen supports collagen production. When oestrogen production decreases, collagen levels also decline. This can impact your muscles, causing them to feel painful or tense.

The decrease in oestrogen also affects muscle mass. Muscle mass diminishes, and muscles become less elastic. You may not feel as flexible as before. Your joints can also be affected, leading to stiff hands, sore knees, or painful shoulders.

Additionally, the hormone leptin plays a role. Leptin suppresses appetite but also influences muscle mass. Hormonal fluctuations during menopause can make you less sensitive to leptin (a condition known as leptin resistance). This can cause inflammation in the body and increase muscle pain.

From the age of 30, muscle mass decreases by three to eight per cent every decade. This decline accelerates after the age of 60. Losing muscle mass is a natural part of ageing. Many women begin to notice this as they enter menopause. Some experience it early in the first years of menopause, known as perimenopause. In postmenopause, the likelihood of muscle symptoms increases.

The heart is also a muscle. This means that, in addition to muscle pain, you might notice your heart suddenly beating intensely or irregularly. You may experience a “pounding heart.” The female sex hormone oestrogen also protects the heart and arteries. When oestrogen production decreases, the risk of heart palpitations increases. Learn more about heart palpitations.

Other menopause symptoms, certain medications, poor posture, an inactive lifestyle, previous injuries, and underlying conditions can also cause muscle symptoms. Additionally, during menopause, you are more likely to experience stress or feelings of restlessness, which can cause your muscles to tense up.

There are various ways to effectively address muscle pain. You don’t have to live with it. You can support your body naturally with healthy nutrition, sufficient exercise, and rest. Additionally, supplements, medications, and hormone therapy (HRT) can help.

When your hormone balance changes during menopause, it can affect your energy levels, sleep, digestion, and metabolism. Healthy nutrition, sufficient exercise, and rest can help prevent or alleviate symptoms. Small adjustments can already make a difference in how you feel.

When using medications or supplements, a balanced lifestyle supports your body in absorbing nutrients and processing medications. This makes supplements and medications more effective. Experts recommend the following for muscle pain:

• Move your body every day. Even if it doesn’t feel good and you tire more easily. It’s proven that exercise keeps your muscles strong and flexible. Tip: engage in low-impact activities like swimming or strength training.
• Eat more proteins and healthy fats. This restores leptin metabolism in your body, which is beneficial for muscle mass. Healthy fats help reduce inflammation. Fatty fish, nuts, avocados, and olives are good choices. Avoid foods high in sugar, as sugar can worsen inflammation.
• Pay attention to your posture. Sit upright with your knees and feet pointing straight ahead. Relax your shoulders and jaw. Use a good office chair if you sit a lot for work. Stand up regularly and walk around.
• Take more moments to relax. Mindfulness and breathing exercises are proven methods to release muscle tension and find more calm. These can also be multiple short moments throughout the day. Stand up and shake out your muscles. Take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Relax and let go of tension and restlessness in your body.

During menopause, the hormones oestrogen and progesterone in your body fluctuate and largely disappear once your periods have completely stopped. This can cause symptoms like hot flushes, vaginal dryness, or muscle pain. For severe symptoms, hormone therapy (HRT) is the most effective treatment. By replenishing the hormone deficiency, symptoms decrease. This helps restore balance in your body, giving you energy and calm in your daily life.

Hormone therapy is always prescribed by a doctor and tailored to your personal situation to ensure the treatment is safe and effective.

Many women are unaware that, in addition to hormone therapy, there are proven effective hormone-free medications to relieve menopause symptoms. While hormone therapy can address multiple symptoms simultaneously, hormone-free medications often target a specific symptom. For example, certain antidepressants (SNRIs) for hot flushes, anti-inflammatory drugs for joint pain, or antacids for heartburn.

Hormone-free medications are always prescribed by a doctor. They can be a good option for those who cannot or do not want to use hormone therapy. These medications work directly on the symptom without affecting your hormone balance, allowing you to target your symptoms and support your body.

During menopause, your body’s processes for generating energy, building muscles, and repairing skin change. You can naturally support these processes with high-quality supplements. Magnesium, vitamin D, and omega-3 are recommended for every woman going through menopause. Supplements can also target specific symptoms like hot flushes, poor sleep, and muscle pain.

The effectiveness of supplements can vary from person to person. This depends on factors like your lifestyle and health. The quality of the product also determines how well it works. Choose high-quality supplements without unnecessary fillers.