Weight gain and menopause: why is my body suddenly storing everything?

For decades, your oestrogens act as conductors of your metabolism. One of their roles is to help your cells respond well to insulin, the hormone that allows glucose to enter cells as a source of energy. Oestrogens also support the way your body uses fat as fuel rather than storing it[1].

When oestrogen levels fall during perimenopause and then menopause, this balance is disrupted. Cells gradually become less sensitive to insulin[2]. This is known as insulin resistance. In practical terms, the body needs to secrete more insulin to do the same job, and this excess insulin encourages fat storage rather than fat use[3]. The liver also becomes less efficient at oxidising fat, which encourages storage.

Another notable change: fat is no longer
distributed in the same way. Before menopause, it tends to
settle around the hips and thighs. As oestrogen levels fall, it
shifts towards the abdomen as so-called ‘visceral’ fat, which
surrounds the organs. This explains the appearance of the familiar tummy, which can appear even without
any significant overall weight gain.

There is also a gradual decline in resting energy expenditure, meaning the calories your body burns naturally even when you are not exerting yourself. This decline is partly linked to the loss of the effects of oestrogens and progesterone on metabolism.

Let’s turn to an important point: weight gain in women does not begin with the first hot flushes or when periods stop. Studies following women over several years show that changes in body composition, namely an increase in fat mass and a decrease in muscle mass, accelerate in the two years before the final period, during perimenopause[4]. This is why so many women feel they are gaining weight for no reason, even while they are still having periods, albeit somewhat irregularly.

This acceleration generally levels off after a few years of established menopause, and this new balance remains in place unless steps are taken to manage it. If you’re at this stage, our article on how to lose weight during perimenopause explains the approaches specific to this stage.

The decline in oestrogen does not happen in isolation. Several other processes associated with this stage of life can add to it, making weight management even more difficult for women during menopause.

These factors include:

• Worsening sleep: sleep problems affect 40 to 60 % of women during the menopause transition, particularly because of night-time hot flushes. Poor-quality sleep can disrupt the regulation of hunger and satiety hormones, contributing to snacking and higher calorie intake[5].
• Cortisol tending to rise with age: when levels of this stress hormone remain high over time, it worsens the insulin resistance already caused by declining oestrogen levels. Certain plants known as adaptogens, such asashwagandha, help the body cope with stress.
• Declining muscle mass: known as sarcopenia, this process accelerates around menopause due to hormonal changes. Yet muscles use a lot of energy, even at rest. Less muscle mass therefore means a slower basal metabolic rate[6].
• Reduced physical activity: this is fairly common during menopause, when fatigue and other symptoms can have a greater impact on daily life.
• Thyroid dysfunction: thyroid disorders, particularly hypothyroidism, become more common with age and can also slow metabolism and contribute to weight gain. If you have any concerns, particularly if weight gain is accompanied by severe fatigue, feeling unusually cold or hair loss, a check-up with your doctor can help rule out or confirm this possibility.

In summary, factor by factor

The good news is that this new metabolic balance, which helps explain the weight gain, is by no means inevitable. Several approaches have shown promise during this period:

• Strength training is probably the most effective approach. By limiting the loss of lean mass, it helps maintain the body’s resting energy expenditure. Regular physical activity, including gentler forms such as yoga, can also help improve sleep and various symptoms. Taking creatine alongside these measures may help support muscle mass.
• When it comes to diet, the aim is to get enough protein to support muscle
  mass; fibre, for satiety and the gut microbiome; and to limit ultra-processed foods, which promote blood sugar spikes and inflammation.
• Finally, sleep and stress management are not optional. They directly affect the
  hormones that regulate appetite and fat storage.
• Alongside these adjustments, targeted nutritional support may also have a role, among the menopause food supplements.

To address this multifactorial metabolic slowdown, Jolly Mama offers Metabolism Support, the food supplement to boost your metabolism designed to help women in perimenopause and menopause maintain an active metabolism.

Its formula combines three complementary active ingredients:

• Metabolaid®, an extract of lemon verbena and hibiscus, whose effects on body composition and markers of satiety such as GLP-1 have been explored
  in several clinical studies. These findings suggest a potential link with the mechanisms involved in menopause[7].
• Cinnamon, whose effect on blood sugar regulation and lipid profiles is among the most extensively studied of the botanical ingredients, with numerous studies[8].
• Zinc, in bisglycinate form for better absorption[9], contributes to the normal metabolism
  of carbohydrates and fatty acids, as well as to the protection of cells from oxidative stress, two recognised and documented functions[10].

Together, these three active ingredients may help support insulin sensitivity and normal lipid metabolism at a time when declining oestrogen levels put natural regulatory processes under strain.

Please note: Metabolism Support is not intended to replace a suitable lifestyle, good sleep, a balanced diet and physical activity. It complements these foundations to help support your metabolism through this transition.