The menopause marks the end of the menstrual cycles, according to the medical journal, Mayo Clinic. Until twelve months have passed after the menstrual period stops, a woman is not considered to have menopause. During this phase, changes in the body due to decreased levels of sex hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone.
As we age we may notice that it becomes more difficult to maintain our usual weight. It is common for weight gain to begin a few years before menopause, during the period known as perimenopause, explains the Mayo Clinic. Weight gain during menopause is common, as is loss of sexual desire or hot flashes, however, it is necessary to specify what is really true and what is not.
Do you gain weight during menopause?
The Dr. Gemma Valls Ricart specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics and member of Top Doctors tells Women that with the arrival of menopause and the consequent decrease in estrogen, metabolism slows down of women and there is a tendency to accumulate fat in the abdomen area with the consequent weight gain.
The gynecologist continues explaining that all changes are due to decreased estrogen. There are estrogen receptors throughout the body, brain, skin, bones, and it results in symptoms and complications, hot flashes, sweating, irritability, insomnia, fatigue, tachycardia, weight gain, cholesterol, dry skin and mucous membranes or loss of bone and muscle mass. Some research has confirmed that menopause is linked to an increase in abdominal fat, but not an increase in overall weight.
This is because the hormonal changes experienced during menopause only cause a change in where the body stores fat, making women’s stomach and waist are more likely to gain weight. Studies show that visceral fat (deep abdominal fat) increases by almost 50% in postmenopausal women compared to premenopausal women.
What is sexual desire like during menopause?
Although the researchers claim that The effects of menopause can cause a reduction in libidoexperts such as the professors from the Faculty of Physiotherapy and Nursing of the UCLM designed an evaluation instrument to find a solution to this problem so that health workers can assess and provide specific treatments for each woman in particular.
As they explain, sexual life has no expiration datewhat happens is that there is a great absence of treatments to know in depth “the symptoms and the repercussions on the quality of life of those affected.” For her part, the Top Doctors member points out that sometimes vaginal dryness Due to this lack of estrogen, sexual relations hurt and this cycle causes libido to decrease.
Likewise, another Intimina study showed that women who have or have had menopause experience self-esteem problemsincreasing their insecurity, and therefore not being comfortable in a sexual situation or romantic.
How does menopause affect the heart?
According to Gemma, the decrease in estrogen (which is cardioprotective) causes increased risk of cardiovascular diseasesand if you add other risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure (HTN)… they become the main cause of death in women.
As we have seen, there are many changes that occur in women’s bodies when menopause arrives, and although it is something natural and inevitable, there are Ways to make these changes less aggressive or drastic. This is how the doctor expressed it: “to prepare ourselves we should avoid toxic substances, especially tobacco.”
It is also important to maintain an optimal weight with a Mediterranean diet and physical exercise, adding 2 or 3 sessions per week of strength trainingsleep 7 or 8 hours a day, promote social relationships, have regular sex with or without a partner. Targeted supplementation is essential and safe and effective hormonal treatment for those who need it is the key to recovery. lost quality of life.
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