The symptoms associated with the menopausal transition are no cakewalk, but experts say that a nutritious diet helps support the shift in hormone production that occurs during perimenopause and menopause. In other words, what you eat can improve how you’re feeling — and your overall quality of life. Here’s what to know.
During the lead-up to menopause, a woman’s body goes through hormonal changes that prompt fluctuations in energy, mood, and sleep patterns. That can sometimes result in symptoms like anxiety, hot flashes, changes in our skin, and weight gain. The good news is there’s research that shows that a nutritious, well-balanced diet can help to reduce the severity of a wide array of menopausal side effects.
A normal part of the aging process, menopause is the stage in a woman’s life when her ovaries stop producing eggs. It is considered complete once a woman has gone without a menstrual period for one full year. Menopause occurs in most women in their early 50s, but this can vary depending on a wide variety of factors.
The stage before menopause is called perimenopause, the transitional phase marked by irregular ovulation and a drop in the production of two of the most important hormones in the female body: estrogen and progesterone. The period after menopause is officially known as postmenopause (though many people continue to refer to postmenopause and menopause interchangeably).
How Hormones Change During Menopause
The major changes a person experiences during this period are prompted when their ovaries begin to produce less estrogen and progesterone. This process begins in perimenopause. Eventually, ovarian production of these hormones will cease entirely.
Estrogens, which come in many forms and are produced primarily in the ovaries but in lesser amounts in other tissues, are essential to the reproductive process. They also play a critical role in helping to regulate the function of the brain and central nervous system, bones, liver, and urinary tract. When estrogen levels drop, these systems are impacted. While most menopause symptoms are caused by the big drop in estrogen, decreasing progesterone levels are associated with irregular or short cycles for women in perimenopause, as well as mood changes, low libido, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.
Wendy Sweet, PhD, is the founder of My Menopause Transformation, a wellness company offering a series of lifestyle programs to help women reduce menopause symptoms and live healthier lives as they age. Sweet, a former nurse and a pioneer of New Zealand’s personal training industry, created the company after experiencing her own struggles with the symptoms of menopause.
With a healthy diet, regular movement, and a solid self-care practice, women can live vibrant lives at any age.
“I learned that when we go into menopause, we actually need to change our lifestyle to match this changing hormonal environment,” Sweet tells DailyOM. “What we’ve done in the past to manage our health, energy, and our weight simply may not work anymore.”
Interested in learning more? Check out The Menopausal Middle Menu Plan
The Connection Between Hormone Levels and Nutrition
There is a strong correlation between hormone levels and nutrition, according to Maude Morin, RD, who works for JM Nutrition, headquartered in Toronto. “Without a well-balanced diet, it’s possible your hormone-building and regulating systems don’t have the materials they need to work optimally,” she tells DailyOM.
For example, estrogen production relies on B vitamins for energy, so eating foods rich in these vitamins can help support estrogen production. B vitamins include thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folate (B9) and cobalamin (B12), which can be found in seafood, salmon, leafy greens, eggs, beef, and more.
“We can also eat foods that support estrogen levels like flax, soy, and chickpeas and other legumes. These provide phytoestrogens in the form of isoflavones,” says Morin, whose area of expertise is women’s health. “Some studies have even shown symptom improvement.” (Reducing hot flashes is one such example.)
How Menopause Affects Metabolism
Metabolism, or the conversion of food and drink into energy in the body, is influenced mainly by a woman’s thyroid, muscle density and size, food intake, and physical exercise. Insomnia, stress, sarcopenia (the loss of skeletal and cardiac muscle density and size), and gut health issues — all of which occur during menopause — impact a woman’s metabolism. As Sweet explains it, “metabolism changes as women age and this aspect of menopause may have consequences on immune health and weight.”
Sweet points out that women in their 50s have higher rates of fatty liver disease, which also impacts metabolism and the absorption of certain nutrients, especially B vitamins, which are required for the production of estrogen. While there may currently be an emphasis on high-fat diets like the keto diet, Sweet believes keto may not be the best option for menopausal women.
“Cardiovascular research acknowledges that a high-fat diet, especially one high in saturated animal fats, is not helpful for both liver and cardiovascular health as women age.” Instead, she suggests women stick to an anti-inflammatory diet like the Mediterranean diet, which has been shown to improve menopause symptoms and may also lower one’s risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, cognitive disorders, and loss of bone density.
Such a diet is generally high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices, with olive oil as a key source of healthy fats. A Mediterranean diet also includes moderate amounts of protein-rich foods (fish, seafood, dairy, poultry), and minimal amounts of red meat (beef, pork) and foods high in saturated fat, such as butter.
For people interested in plant-based foods, there’s also promising research, published in 2021 in the journal Menopause, showing that participants who ate a low-fat, vegan diet that also included a daily serving of ½ cup of soybeans experienced a reduction in hot flashes.
Weight Gain and Body Shape Changes During Menopause
Changes in estrogen production and glucose regulation may lead to weight gain as well as changes in how our bodies look.
“Estrogen plays an important role in young women, storing body fat in the hips, thighs, and buttocks in preparing for pregnancy and delivery,” says Morin. “When these levels drop, it’s usually normal to see the use and storage of energy in the body change.”
Morin says that when estrogen levels decrease, the brain no longer sends the message to store fat in the lower body, and more fat is directed to the abdomen. “This is where you start to see that shift in body shape,” she says.
A little extra body fat during menopause may not be a bad thing, Morin notes, as body fat stores have a limited capacity to produce estrogen, which can help with protecting bone health as women age. But too much, particularly in the abdominal region, may have an impact on metabolic and cardiovascular health, according to Sweet, who points out that heart disease is the leading health concern for women over 50.
“There are usually also lifestyle factors that play an important role in body weight outcomes through menopause,” says Morin. “We’re talking about a group of people that may have lower exercise levels, higher stress due to being in important positions in their careers or having children and teenagers, less sleep, and perhaps also less time to make balanced meals.”
Morin says she is reluctant to blame hormones alone, “as this can lead to poor body image and a negative relationship with the body because we assign blame.”
She says unwanted weight gain can be managed by increasing activity levels, and notes that the recommended guidelines for physical activity suggest 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. This doesn’t necessarily mean dedicating long hours to cardio. High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, is a type of training protocol that alternates short periods of high-intensity exercise with short periods of recovery. And if you prefer, you can break up your exercise into multiple, shorter chunks rather than engage in longer workouts.
Morin also emphasizes stress reduction and advises that women “include stress-management activities, go outside daily, prioritize sleep, and seek counseling” if you feel it would be beneficial.
How Hormones Affect the Joints
Estrogen helps with lubrication and elasticity in the joints, ligaments, and tendons. When estrogen levels begin to fall off, women may experience aching in the joints. Sweet says women don’t always attribute these aches and pains to menopause.
With her clients, Sweet focuses on managing these symptoms through diet and nutrition, moving them off of a traditional Western diet and onto the Mediterranean diet, which she has modified “so that women get the nutrients they need as they age.”
How to Combat Low Energy, Mood, and Gut Health Issues
In addition to weight gain and sore joints, hormones play a role in the low energy levels, mood changes, and gut issues women experience during perimenopause and menopause.
Sweet says that low energy is many people’s main concern, and she has data to back it up: More than 70 percent of the 400,000 women who have taken her online menopause symptoms quiz have reported that they struggle with fatigue.
“Low energy can be due to poor sleep from night sweats or because they wake up due to the need for bathroom visits, as the bladder becomes more irritable during menopause,” she explains. Hormones play a role here, too: Declining levels of estrogen cause a change in the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, and can result in insomnia.
Sweet adds that gut health issues also become more prevalent as women move into postmenopause, as one of the main roles of estrogen is to maintain the integrity of the gut lining. Gut issues can further aggravate declining melatonin levels. “If women have gut health concerns, they may not be absorbing enough of an amino acid called tryptophan, which goes on to make the mood hormone serotonin,” says Sweet.
Foods that may help to repair the gut include extra virgin olive oil; those that provide resistant starches, like greenish bananas; and those with prebiotic and probiotic nutrients, which include kimchi, kombucha, kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, miso paste, and dark chocolate.
Morin says that adequate hydration and fiber intake also support a healthier gut. To start adding more fiber to your diet, she suggests choosing mostly whole grains, topping breakfasts with seeds, and pairing fruit with nuts.
If you’re experiencing bloating, cramping, or irritable bowel syndrome, keep a food and symptom log “to see if any patterns emerge,” says Morin, and speak with your doctor about any questions or concerns. (Although menopause can really impact you from head to toe, not every symptom you experience may be due to menopause, so it’s worth bringing up any issues or changes with your healthcare provider to rule out anything else.)
Foods That Aggravate Menopause Symptoms
Adding menopause superfoods to your diet offers major benefits to your health during this stage. On the flip side, some foods and beverages can aggravate the symptoms of menopause, making you more uncomfortable. A big one? Booze. “Alcohol dilates blood vessels to dissipate heat on the skin’s surface. This heat can trigger a hot flash,” says Morin. Caffeine and spicy foods can have a similar effect.
Fatigue, irritability, and brittle fingernails could be hormonal, says Morin, or they could be the result of improper hydration and diet. She suggests women consume between 8 and 10 glasses of unsweetened fluids per day to help mitigate symptoms, as dehydration can exacerbate feelings of fatigue and irritability. Coffee and tea are fine sources of hydration, but decaffeinated options might be a better choice if they trigger your hot flashes.
It’s not just what a woman eats, but how a woman eats that can impact symptoms, according to Morin, and this can often be aggravated by stress: “Skipping meals and inadequate overall intake are common issues, so [eating enough and] adding a few more servings of vegetables and protein per day can help ensure these symptoms are managed.”
What About Supplements?
Certain vitamins and supplements may be beneficial, “but should always be treated supplementally,” says Morin, meaning that it’s best to obtain nutrients through the food you eat. She suggests a proper nutritional assessment with a dietitian to determine if supplementation is necessary.
In parts of the world that experience minimal winter sun, vitamin D3 can be a helpful supplement. “Adequate intake can help promote hormone balance,” says Morin, and magnesium may help in regulating the stress hormone cortisol. “When cortisol is too high, it can affect the balance and relationships between our other hormones, too.” Morin notes that pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of magnesium. Omega-3 fatty acids support the body in producing hormones. If you’re not getting these in your diet through fish, nuts, or plant oils, supplementation may be helpful.
Lifestyle Changes Will Improve Menopause Side Effects
Both experts interviewed for this story agree that lifestyle changes are vital to improving women’s menopause symptoms and, ultimately, their lives.
“Because so many women are juggling parenting, full-time work, and caring for aging parents, [their] levels of stress and overwhelm increase, which then impacts their symptoms,” says Sweet. “So, to me, it’s important that women understand how vulnerable they are at this stage of life and address changes to their lifestyle to accommodate the changes that are occurring. It’s why I always say, ‘Menopause isn’t just about hot flashes.’”
Both Morin and Sweet confirm that with the right shifts, menopause doesn’t have to be unpleasant. With a healthy diet, regular movement, and a solid self-care practice, women can live vibrant lives at any age.
