Weight gain

• Weight gain during menopause is common and is influenced by changes in your hormonal balance.
• Due to fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone, the body can store fat more easily, especially around the stomach area.
• On average, women gain between half a kilo and one kilo per year between the ages of 50 and 60, although this varies from person to person.
• Factors such as sleep, stress, muscle mass and metabolism also play a role in weight changes.
• Diet and lifestyle are the foundation of weight management during menopause. If this proves insufficient, medication may be considered to provide support, depending on your personal situation.

During menopause, the body's production of hormones changes. The ovaries gradually produce less progesterone and oestrogen. In the first phase of menopause, progesterone levels often fall faster than oestrogen levels. This can lead to a situation where oestrogen is relatively dominant, which is also known as oestrogen dominance.

Oestrogen plays a role in fat storage. When oestrogen is relatively dominant compared to progesterone, this can affect how the body stores fat. This can play a role in weight gain during this phase, usually in combination with other factors such as lifestyle and changes in body composition.

In addition, where fat is stored changes. Due to the drop in oestrogen (oestradiol), fat storage more often shifts from the hips and thighs to the abdomen. Belly fat can play a role here: fat tissue can produce new oestrogens from testosterone and thus help to compensate for hormonal fluctuations.

Later in menopause, oestrogen levels drop further. This can be associated with a loss of muscle mass. Because muscle tissue uses more energy than fat tissue, daily energy expenditure can decrease as a result. If your eating pattern remains the same, this can contribute to further weight gain.

Many women experience multiple menopausal symptoms at the same time during this period. Weight gain can be accompanied by symptoms such as poor sleep, stiff or painful joints, and a feeling of anxiety or being on edge.

Weight gain during menopause is not only related to changes in oestrogen and progesterone. Other hormones also play a role. Due to hormonal fluctuations, the body can become less sensitive to insulin, the hormone that helps absorb sugars from food and convert them into energy.

When insulin works less effectively, more sugar remains in the blood. The body stores this excess energy more easily as fat. This can cause you to gain weight, while losing weight becomes more difficult, even if you do not change your lifestyle.

In addition, the decrease in oestrogen affects the functioning of leptin. Leptin is involved in regulating feelings of hunger and fullness. With lower leptin levels, the body receives less clear signals that it has had enough to eat. This can increase appetite and make it harder to stop eating in time.

This combination of reduced insulin sensitivity and a disrupted feeling of fullness can mean that weight gain during menopause is stubborn and does not go away easily.

Besides changes in sex hormones, other processes in the body can also contribute to weight gain during menopause. For example, the functioning of the thyroid gland can slow down. The thyroid gland plays an important role in regulating the metabolism. When it works more slowly, the body uses less energy, which can encourage weight gain. In women who already have an underactive thyroid, symptoms can become more severe during this period.

Hormonal fluctuations also affect mood and energy. Someone who is not feeling well or is chronically tired may be more inclined to choose sugary or carbohydrate-rich foods. Poor sleep also plays a role here. With insufficient sleep, the need for quick energy increases, which can lead to extra snacking.

Stress is another factor that can influence weight gain. During periods of stress, the body produces more cortisol. This hormone affects blood sugar levels and can promote fat storage. At the same time, the body becomes less focused on rest and recovery, processes that are important for a healthy metabolism.

There are several ways to tackle weight gain during menopause. Lifestyle changes are always the starting point. With a healthy diet, regular exercise and sufficient rest, you support your body in a natural way. When changes in lifestyle are not effective enough, additional options can be considered. Supplements can be supportive, but do not in themselves offer a solution for weight loss. Weight-loss medication can be a treatment option, especially when lifestyle changes or other treatments do not provide sufficient results.

Changes in your hormonal balance during menopause can affect your energy levels, sleep, digestion and metabolism, among other things. A healthy diet, regular exercise and rest are therefore the foundation for managing weight gain. Even when additional treatments are used, lifestyle remains a key component.A balanced lifestyle supports the body in processing food, supplements and any medication. Small, consistent adjustments can contribute to a more stable weight and a better handle on physical changes.

What can help with weight gain:

• A diet rich in protein and fibre contributes to feeling full for longer and helps maintain muscle mass.
• Limiting refined sugars and how often you eat each day can help to reduce fluctuations in your blood sugar levels.
• Healthy fats provide building blocks that play a role in hormonal processes.
• Regular strength training supports the metabolism and helps to maintain muscle mass.
• Sufficient sleep is important, as a lack of sleep can disrupt feelings of hunger and fullness.
• Relaxation and recovery help to limit stress, which can have a beneficial effect on weight and energy.

When lifestyle changes and supplements are not effective enough, weight-loss medication can be an additional treatment option. This medication is available in various forms, such as capsules that are taken daily or injections that are administered periodically. The way they work varies from one medication to another and focuses on different processes involved in weight gain.

There are medicines that affect your blood sugar, hunger and satiety. These products contain a substance that is similar to a naturally occurring hormone and ensure that you feel full faster and experience less hunger. Food also leaves your stomach more slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer.

In addition, there are medicines that partially limit the absorption of fats from food. These products reduce the amount of fat that is absorbed through the intestine.Weight-loss medication is always used as part of a broader approach and under the guidance of a doctor.

Supplements are not a weight-loss tool, but they can play a supportive role in dealing with weight gain during menopause. Especially when there are deficiencies or menopausal symptoms, certain nutrients can help to better support the body.

For example, magnesium can help to reduce fatigue, while vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids support the maintenance of muscle mass and a healthy metabolism. B vitamins also play a role in energy metabolism. By supporting these processes, supplements can indirectly contribute to a better handle on your weight.

The effect of supplements varies from person to person and depends on factors such as lifestyle and health. The quality of the product also determines how well it works. Therefore, choose high-quality supplements, without unnecessary fillers.

Weight gain rarely happens in isolation. Many women notice that multiple menopausal symptoms occur at the same time. These symptoms can amplify one another and affect how you feel, both physically and mentally.