perimenopause Archives - Athletes Sanctuary

Myths of menopause – let's unpack the truths

athletesanctuary — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 04:18:38 +0000

All women experience menopause differently. Symptoms, severity, and duration can differ based on genetics, lifestyle, and overall health. Before we explore the myths of menopause, our clinical experience suggests two common truths exist for women going through this transition.

Genetics

Mothers and daughters may experience a similar menopause transition. While this may be true, it’s not a guarantee. Studies indicate that approximately 50-85% of the variability in the age of menopause is due to hereditary factors. Genetics play a significant role in determining when menopause begins; however, your symptoms may vary if your environmental influences, such as stress, have been different. Lifestyle choices (such as smoking, diet, and exercise) and medical conditions can also influence the timing and experience of menopause. So, while family history gives some clues, it’s not the only factor. Typically, women start to notice changes in peri-menopause, which kicks off commonly between 45-55 years.

Stress

Stress plays a significant role with menopause. Stress can influence menopause in several ways. Chronic stress raises levels of cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. Elevated cortisol can interfere with the balance of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone. This hormonal imbalance may lead to irregular menstrual cycles or even an earlier onset of menopause for some women. Stress will also further worsen symptoms associated with menopause, such as sleep, brain function, mood changes and fatigue. Managing stress through adaptogens (natural medicines that help the nervous system adapt to stress), mindfulness, balanced exercise, and relaxation techniques helps to rebalance the nervous system and reduce many symptoms associated with the menopausal transition.

While these truths exist, there are also a plethora of false myths around menopause that can lead us down the wrong path.

Five menopause myths

All women experience hot flushes: Although the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health reported that 70% of Australian women experience hot flushes, not all women will experience them. The severity and frequency of hot flushes vary. Some women get the occasional sensation of heat, while others have frequent nighttime hot flushes that drench the bed linen. If untreated, some women report hot flushes for over 7 years. Naturopathic interventions and conventional support can be very effective at reducing hot flushes. As mentioned in a recent blog, cold water therapy is also one of our favourites.
Menopause means the end of sex life: While some women experience changes in sexual function due to hormonal shifts, vaginal dryness, and infections, this doesn't mean the end of a fulfilling sex life. Many women manage symptoms like vaginal dryness or lowered libido with natural treatments or lifestyle adjustments and enjoy a healthy sex life well into their senior years.
Menopause causes weight gain: While hormonal changes can influence metabolism and fat distribution, weight gain is not inevitable. Some women lose weight after finding suitable treatment and adopting healthy lifestyle changes. We can’t blame hormones for everything! Our food and alcohol intake, stress management, over-commitment to helping others, and subsequent lack of self-care can amplify metabolic changes and contribute to weight gain. Mental health issues and metabolic changes related to blood sugar control and insulin also make women more susceptible to central weight gain.
Menopause only affects physical health: While menopause is often associated with physical symptoms, it also includes a complexity of emotional and mental health components. Mood swings, irritability, mental fatigue, anxiety, reduced ability to cope with everyday situations, and depression are common in this life transition. For some women, it brings about a sense of freedom from the responsibilities of raising a family, while for others, it triggers grief over the loss of their youth. Sleep issues may further contribute to mental health challenges. Many women find a holistic support team is very beneficial for the mental health aspects of menopause.
I won’t fall pregnant once menopause starts: Until menopause is complete (defined as 12 consecutive months without a period), it's still possible to become pregnant during perimenopause. Although the rates of conception significantly reduce after 40 years, women can and do fall pregnant during this life transition. We encourage you to discuss this with your partner and plan accordingly.

Menopause is often a time of significant life changes, during which several important aspects of a woman’s life come up for review—health, career, personal relationships, and family. On top of the emotional demands, it can be very challenging for women to experience uncomfortable or embarrassing physical and psychological symptoms that may impact their work and personal lives.

Nutritional needs also shift during menopause, and key nutrients such as protein and iron can be affected by changes in gut health, which is often influenced by stress, hormone fluctuations, and dietary habits. Maintaining regular intake of protein and iron is crucial for energy, brain function, and overall vitality. Include iron-rich snacks and recipes like the ones we prepared for you in our Iron Rich Snacks e-recipe book to support your body through this transition.

The good news is that this time also presents an opportunity for lifestyle changes that improve long-term health outcomes. At the Athlete Sanctuary, we offer comprehensive support and a balanced and open perspective for women undergoing this transition. We aim to help you navigate this life stage transition with minimal interruptions to your lifestyle and with positive long-term health outcomes.

For personalised support and further information, book an appointment.

Help for Menopause

athletesanctuary — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 14:00:00 +0000

Some women experience absolutely no symptoms during their transition through menopause but if you are like 80% of women who do, it's reassuring to know there are treatment options available.

Perimenopause is the stage where most of the symptoms begin and these can persist for over a decade.

Menopause officially commences 12 months after your last period. Women can go through menopause anywhere between the ages of 40 and 58 years but the average age is 52 years.

Symptoms can occur due to the falling levels of estrogen and progesterone, which has a multifaceted impact on organs and tissues throughout the body.

Most women identify menopause with hot flushes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, poor libido and fatigue.

Symptoms usually occur in the perimenopausal phase due to declining progesterone. Oestrogen actually increases to levels 30% higher than before but can go through periods of variations similar to a roller coaster, leading to insomnia, depression, poor concentration, irritability, anxiety and poor stress tolerance and lethargy.

In the later stages of perimenopause, oestrogen declines, which may contribute to other symptoms such as heart palpitations, joint pain, osteoporosis and mental health issues.

One of the associated effects of estrogen decline is an increased risk of osteoporosis. This is due primarily to the 1-2% loss of bone density per year of menopause, as well as 10 years post-menopause.

Estrogen decline is also associated with elevated cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, hypothyroidism, urinary tract infections and thrush.

Some women have concerns about the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or are unable to use this option due to breast or ovarian cancer risk.

Fortunately, there is now a large body of evidence that supports the use of herbal and nutritional medicines during the menopausal transition.

DIETARY INTERVENTIONS

Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring estrogen-like compounds found in plants, fruits, or vegetables and are commonly divided into three main classes: isoflavones, lignans, and coumestans.

Isoflavones are found in the legume family, with high amounts in soybeans and soy products.

Lignans are found in high-fibre foods such as unrefined grains, cereal brans, and beans, with flaxseed being a particularly good dietary source of lignans.

A recent systematic review found that women who consumed protein bars containing flaxseed (410 mg of lignan) for 6 weeks reported a 50% decrease in hot flushes. Seed cycling can be helpful for women who want to boost their intake of fatty acids and lignans.

Coumestan-rich foods include alfalfa and clover sprouts, peas, pinto beans, and lima beans.

Herbs

Hops (Humulus lupulus) dampens tension and anxiety. The active ingredient in hops, 8-prenylnaringenin, is a potent phytoestrogen and has been demonstrated to reduce vasomotor symptoms by improving the ability of the blood vessels to expand and contract.

Numerous clinical trials have also documented significant reductions in the frequency of hot flushes, sweating, insomnia, heart palpitations and irritability in women who used a hops extract for 6 weeks.

In clinical practice, a combination of herbs is often used to support women during the transition through menopause.

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng), which is considered to be a "buried treasure medicine", is another popular herb for active women suffering from fatigue. Ginseng’s active constituents include saponins, amino acids, vitamins (particularly folic acid and niacin), alkaloids, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids.

Ginseng has been widely used in traditional medicine to assist with building resilience to stress and used as an energizer, to increase libido, and testosterone and alleviate menopausal symptoms.

Clinical trials have shown ginseng significantly reduced depression and improve perceived well-being, exercise performance and energy in perimenopause.

Another popular herb is chasteberry, or vitex.

This herb has shown positive results in reducing PMS, anxiety, hot flushes and breast tenderness in perimenopausal women.

Vitex is used to support the transition from perimenopause to menopause due to its ability to increase progesterone levels and help maintain a healthy balance between progesterone and estrogen.

For women experiencing persistent hot flushes or night sweats as a result of menopause, Red Clover (Trifolium Pratense) may often be prescribed.

This herb contains high levels of phytoestrogens for improving hormonal balance, as well as helping improve bone density in those at risk of osteoporosis. Several clinical trials have shown isoflavones present in red clover inhibit bone resorption and, therefore, reduce bone turnover associated with osteoporosis.

Ginkgo Biloba is similar to red clover because of the phytoestrogens it contains and its ability to naturally elevate estrogen levels.

Studies show that Ginkgo Biloba can reduce mood fluctuations associated with both PMS and menopause, as well as improving libido in 84% of trial participants after 4 weeks.

Sage, most commonly prescribed as a tea, has long been used in the management of fevers. However, there is also evidence to support the use of sage for menopausal hot flushes and night sweats.

A study that assessed the use of fresh sage leaves in food or as tea demonstrated that the intensity and frequency of hot flushes were significantly reduced over a period of 8 weeks with consistent use.

Hormones play an integral role in your health, and changes in hormone balances can be challenging. There are many different ways that nutrition can be used to navigate menopause without having to experience the numerous negative side effects of HRT.

As with any element of health, there is never a one-size-fits-all approach, and therefore, we recommend individualised treatments for menopausal symptoms.

About the Author: Kate Smyth is a Sports naturopath, nutritionist and female-centric running coach. She is the founder of the Athlete Sanctuary- a holistic healthcare clinic for athletes of all levels and sporting codes. Kate has a thirst for knowledge with two bachelor’s and a master’s degree under her belt. She has been involved in sports for many decades and competed for Australia in the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games marathons with a personal best time of 2 hours 28 minutes. For more information visit www.athletesanctuary.com.au