Menopause is a time of change in more ways than one. The end of reproductive life brings physical changes, emotional and psychological changes. But after adapting to these changes, many women find the post-menopausal years active and full of new challenges.
Good health and exercise habits pay off during the second half of life. The hormonal changes that occur during menopause can have a substantial impact on the body – especially the cardiovascular system. It’s at this point a woman’s risk of cardiovascular disease starts to rise.
But your heart isn’t the only system affected by menopause. Your body composition changes too, and these changes are more pronounced in women who aren’t physically active. Staying physically active can reduce or prevent these changes. Let’s look at five ways menopause can change your physique.
A Decline in Muscle Mass and Strength
Muscle mass begins to decline in adults after the age of 30 to 35 but speeds up after menopause. The reason? Hormonal changes, including a drop of estrogen, decrease in testosterone (yes, women have testosterone too), drop-in growth hormone, and increase in cortisol trigger these changes. One study found women experience a rapid decline in leg strength after menopause. This decrease is hormonally related since the study found that hormone replacement therapy helped preserve leg strength.
The problem with muscle loss is that it reduces physical function and contributes to falls. Plus, having less muscle mass is metabolically unhealthy, since muscle takes up glucose from the bloodstream. One study found as estrogen levels go down, there are fewer muscle stem cells to build new skeletal muscle tissue. This makes it harder for muscles to repair after a workout.
A Decrease in Bone Density
Along with a decline in skeletal muscle, menopause speeds up bone loss. In fact, bone loss begins accelerating during perimenopause when hormones fluctuate, sometimes wildly. It continues at a rapid pace in the years after menopause. Why is bone loss such concern? Fragile bones are more susceptible to breakage, but osteoporosis is a silent disease. You might not realize you have it (without screening) until you fracture a bone.
Osteoporosis can also cause compression fractures that can reduce your height by several inches. Monitor your height at home. The loss of two or more inches in height is a predictor of osteoporosis. Monitor your height every 6 months and let your healthcare provider know if you experience a change.
Weight Gain
Weight gain is also common after menopause. One reason is that physical activity levels drop, and the loss of muscle mass that goes along with that plays a role. Sleep problems become more common too and sleep plays a key role in weight control.
The decline in estrogen is another factor that causes many women to gain weight after menopause. A drop in estrogen (based on animal studies):
- Can increase appetite
- Reduce resting metabolism
- Reduce insulin sensitivity
The above all contribute to weight gain in women after menopause. That’s why it’s essential to adopt a holistic approach to weight control after menopause – nutrition, exercise, adequate sleep, and stress management.
Increase in Visceral Fat Deep in the Abdomen
Another serious change that takes place in women after menopause is an increase in visceral fat, deep belly fat that encases organs like the liver and contributes to health problems. Visceral fat is riskier than subcutaneous fat, the kind that lies underneath your skin. Studies show visceral fat is pro-inflammatory and contributes to the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
One way to know whether you’re carrying too much visceral fat is to measure your waist size. One indicator is your waist-to-hip ratio. Divide your waist size by your hip size. If your waist size relative to your hip size is greater than 0.8, you are likely carrying too much visceral fat.
Both diet and exercise help reduce visceral fat stores. Nutrition changes that may help reduce visceral fat based on science:
- Replace some saturated fats with monounsaturated ones, like those in nuts, avocado, and olive oil
- Reduce or eliminate refined carbohydrates
- Reduce or eliminate sugar
Changes in Where You Store Fat
Where you store body fat changes after menopause too. Most women before menopause have a gynoid fat distribution, meaning they store more of their body fat in the lower body. After menopause, there’s a switch to android fat distribution, with more body fat storage in the upper body, including the tummy, shoulders, chest, and neck.
Android fat cells are more metabolically active than gynoid fat cells. Studies link android fat storage with a higher risk of health problems, like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Android fat distribution is also a marker of reduced insulin sensitivity. Some studies even link android fat with mental health issues, including anxiety and depression.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a woman, you’ll spend over a third of your life post-menopausal, so it’s important to keep your body and mind healthy, so you can enjoy those years to the fullest. It doesn’t have to be a time of slowing down. Keep your body in shape, and you can emerge from menopause fit and healthy.
Strength training is your best defense against the body composition changes that occur after menopause. Don’t underestimate the importance of nutrition either. Choosing whole foods, fewer refined carbohydrates, and eating mindfully will help you avoid those extra pounds that place your health at risk.
References:
- Samsell L, Regier M, Walton C, Cottrell L. Importance of android/gynoid fat ratio in predicting metabolic and cardiovascular disease risk in normal weight as well as overweight and obese children. J Obes. 2014;2014:846578. doi: 10.1155/2014/846578. Epub 2014 Sep 15. PMID: 25302115; PMCID: PMC4181515.
- Maltais ML, Desroches J, Dionne IJ. Changes in muscle mass and strength after menopause. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2009 Oct-Dec;9(4):186-97. PMID: 19949277.
- Greeves JP, Cable NT, Reilly T, Kingsland C. Changes in muscle strength in women following the menopause: a longitudinal assessment of the efficacy of hormone replacement therapy. Clin Sci (Lond). 1999 Jul;97(1):79-84. PMID: 10369797.
Related Articles By Cathe:
Why Is It So Common to Gain Belly Fat after Menopause?
Why Women Have More Problems Lowering Their Body Fat Than Men
What Role Does Estrogen Play in Muscle Strength?
5 Hormones and How They Affect Your Body Composition
Why Women Gain Weight After Menopause and How to Prevent It
