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Weight Gain FAQ |
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Because weight gain is one of the more conspicuous symptoms of menopause, both to the women going through menopause and the world around them, They are likely curious about information that will give a better understanding of this symptom. Weight gain is a normal aspect not only of menopause but also of getting older, and is nothing to be ashamed of. But with knowledge, a woman is armed with the tools to fight weight gain if she so desires. Continue reading for a list of the most frequently asked questions and answers regarding weight gain.
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Q: Is weight gain normal during menopause?
A: Yes. Weight gain is normal and extremely common for women going through menopause. It is perhaps the most common symptom of menopause, with about 90% of menopausal women gaining some amount of weight during this time.
Q: What are the symptoms of weight gain during menopause?
A: The symptoms of weight gain are as follows:
• Difficulty maintaining usual weight
• Fat accumulation around the abdomen
• Change in body shape (pear to apple)
• Steady weight gain
• Increase in body fat percentage
• Slower metabolism
• Increase in breast size |
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Q: Why does weight gain during menopause tend to accumulate around the mid-section?
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A: The reason menopausal women tend to accumulate new weight around the abdomen is because their androgen hormonal levels begin to rise with the onset of menopause. These male hormones direct excess weight to the mid-section as opposed to the hips, where many women are accustomed to gaining weight. Some women even have a nickname for the menopause years based on the mid-section weight gain: "the middle-age spread." Continue reading to learn what causes weight gain during menopause.
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Most women experience a 5% decrease in metabolic rate per decade. Because metabolism slows as women approach menopause, they need about 200 fewer calories a day to maintain their weight as they enter their mid to late 40s. |
Q: What causes weight gain during menopause?
A: The primary cause of weight gain during menopause has to do with hormonal imbalance. Hormones play a big role in regulating body weight, so when they begin fluctuating prior to menopause and maintain extremely low level post-menopause, weight gain is typically a side-effect. Here are the hormonal causes of weight gain:
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Estrogen: As a woman´s ovaries produce less estrogen, her body attempts to find the hormone in places other than the ovaries. Fat cells can produce estrogen, so her body works harder to convert calories into fat to increase estrogen levels. Unfortunately, fat cells don't burn calories the way muscle cells do, which causes weight gain. |
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| Progesterone: Water retention is often linked to menopause because water weight and bloating are caused by decreased progesterone levels. Though this doesn't actually result in weight gain, clothes can feel a bit tighter and a woman may feel as though she´s heavier. |
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| Androgen: The amount of this hormone increases at the onset of menopause. It´s responsible for sending new weight to the mid-section instead of to the hips, which many women are accustomed to. Some women even have a nickname for the menopause years based on the mid-section weight gain: "the middle-age spread." |
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| Testosterone: Testosterone helps a woman´s body create lean muscle mass out of the calories consumed. Muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells do, increasing metabolic rate. As testosterone levels drop, fewer calories are transformed into lean muscle mass, thus a woman´s metabolism winds down. |
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| Insulin Resistance: Insulin resistance can occur during the menopausal years. This is when a woman´s body mistakenly turns every calorie taken in into fat. Over time, processed and refined foods may make a woman´s body resistant to insulin produced in the blood stream. |
Q: Are there any other causes of weight gain?
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A: Yes. Age and lifestyle are also determining factors for weight gain. Both women and men become more physically unfit as they surpass age 30 and their bodies begin to breakdown and lose their physical abilities. This decreasing physical ability affects weight because a person becomes less able to engage in physical activities that help to maintain a stable weight by burning calories. To compound the potential for weight gain with age, the metabolic rate begins to slow after age 30, which also leads to weight gain.
Lifestyle also plays an important role in weight gain. The following lifestyle factors can influence weight gain:
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There is on average a 40 to 50% reduction in an individual´s muscle mass between ages 30 and 70, with a simultaneous increase in body fat. This transition sets the groundwork for slower metabolism, reduced physical activities, and difficulty burning calories, thus leading to weight gain. |
• Stress • Reduced physical activity • Change in eating habit • Medication use • Drinking excess amounts of alcohol • Quitting smoking.
Q: Should women be concerned about weight gain?
A: There are some concerns that go along with weight gain. Weight gain can usher in health risks that can prove very serious. Here is a list of some of the health risks associated with weight gain:
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• Heart disease, stroke.
• High blood pressure.
• Osteoarthritis.
• Breast cancer.
• High cholesterol.
• Kidney disease.
• Sleep apnea.
• Insulin resistance (increasing
diabetes risks).
• More severe menopausal symptoms. |
Weight gain and breast cancer
Women who gain in excess of 20 pounds after menopause increase their breast cancer risk by nearly 20 percent, but those who lose 20 pounds after menopause reduce their breast cancer risk by as much as 23 percent.
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Read below to learn the best steps to lose weight during menopause.
Q: What are the best steps towards losing weight during menopause?
A: First, to get a handle on weight gain, begin with regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet of moderate portions. This will go along way to prevent excess pounds from finding their way to the abdomen. But, this will only deal with the effects of this menopausal symptom and do nothing to treat the core of the issue: hormonal imbalance. The absolute best way either lose weight during menopause or prevent weight gain from taking place is to bring the hormones to a natural balance. There are various alternative medicines that naturally bring the hormones into balance. Read below to find out if there are more drastic treatments for weight gain.
Q: Can more drastic measures be taken to treat weight gain??
A: There are more drastic measures available to women who are interested in treating weight gain. Some of these measures include liposuction or diet pills, but these options come with the most side-effects and risks and should be used only as a last resort. A health care provider should be consulted before these options are administered.
What are the best ways to cope with weight gain during menopause?
Three approaches can be considered for treating weight gain during menopause: (1) lifestyle changes, (2) alternative remedies, and (3) drugs and surgery. Most experts recommend that women begin with the least aggressive approach and move to the next level of treatment only if symptoms persist. Click on treatments for weight gain during menopause to discover the best route to relief.
Return to home page and learn more about the 34 Menopause Symptoms.
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