Metabolic and Hormonal Changes Require a Wise Lifestyle Approach

Life after 40 can be tough for women. The diet that kept your weight stable until then now leads to weight gain (especially around the waist), hormones mercilessly fluctuate causing a whole range of symptoms, and slowly metabolic changes emerge that directly dictate your health in old age. Therefore, if you haven't paid much attention to lifestyle until 40, now is the right time to seriously focus on nutrition, exercise and rest – in other words, to focus on yourself.

What Is Perimenopause and What's Exactly Happening?

Perimenopause refers to the years of turbulent hormone fluctuations that precede the last menstrual period. It typically begins 4-8 years before menopause itself, on average in the mid-40s. However, in some it can start before 40 and then we talk about early perimenopause.

From a hormonal perspective, this period brings a whole range of unfavorable changes. Progesterone, our calming hormone, is first on the list of changes. Slowly but surely, its levels begin to decrease in the second half of the cycle while estrogen levels fluctuate, leading to a whole range of subtle symptoms.

Changes are not reserved only for progesterone and estrogen – levels of testosterone, cortisol, thyroid hormones and insulin can also "go wild", leading to the grand finale – a sharp drop in estrogen one or two years before the last period. The consequences of such hormonal turbulence leave some women simply exhausted, with insomnia, mood changes, and forgetfulness. But beneath the surface, even more unfavorable changes occur at the metabolic level. 

Namely, as sex hormone levels gradually decrease, especially estrogen, there is increased fat storage (especially around the waist) as well as visceral fat that releases pro-inflammatory molecules and contributes to inflammation – moreover, a state of so-called silent, chronic inflammation ("inflammaging") can develop, which accelerates cell aging.

Perimenopause Carries an Increased Risk of Metabolic Syndrome

In parallel, insulin sensitivity may decrease and insulin resistance develop, which promotes weight gain. And at the level of blood fats, unfavorable changes occur: very often so-called LDL cholesterol rises, along with a decrease in HDL cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart and blood vessel disease. Additionally, as we age, if a woman doesn't actively work on it, muscle mass decreases, and muscles are major energy consumers. In other words, metabolism slows down. 

All this creates conditions for a "perfect storm" of negative metabolic changes that affect our heart, brain and overall long-term health. But all this doesn't mean we're powerless and must surrender to fate – with proper nutrition, exercise and a generally healthy lifestyle, we can counteract these changes and lay the foundation for healthy aging.

How to Create Nutrition After 40

Proper food selection and their combination can have numerous positive effects on hormonal balance and other aspects of women's health during perimenopause.

To stimulate metabolism, preserve muscle mass and stabilize blood sugar, the first and basic item when planning nutrition after 40 is protein intake – at least 30 g per meal. Already here many women make mistakes because they either skip meals or resort to bakeries or food rich in carbohydrates and saturated fats, ingredients that contribute to metabolic chaos at this age. 

Unfortunately, as we age, we utilize proteins less efficiently, which is all the more reason to choose quality protein sources for our meals such as eggs, fish, lean meat and low-fat dairy products. This will ensure the body significant amounts of leucine, an amino acid essential for building and muscle recovery. For women who prefer plant-based, in addition to tofu and legumes, quinoa, chia and flax seeds are recommended. 

Sometimes even with the best intentions it's hard to ensure enough protein, and then protein powders come to help as a quick and practical way for muscle recovery, especially after training. It's important to choose quality protein powders that provide leucine and other branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) with minimal added sweeteners and additives.

Carbohydrate and Fat Intake After 40

Besides increased protein intake, another key dietary modification is needed for smoother "sailing" through perimenopause. Namely, as estrogen levels decrease, our insulin sensitivity also decreases and the risk of developing insulin resistance increases. Therefore, it's extremely important to eliminate or maximally limit sugar intake, while in parallel increasing fiber intake.

In other words, whole grains, legumes, fruit (less sweet like berries and citrus) and especially diverse vegetables are desirable ingredients on your plate because they provide complex carbohydrates that, unlike sugar, offer a longer energy source and, in combination with fiber, help maintain stable blood sugar. Additionally, fiber is important to us because it has a favorable effect on the microbiome. Maintaining a diverse microbiome is important for proper hormone metabolism, but also for healthy aging. Moreover, a diverse microbiome is one of the hallmarks of centenarians, so fermented foods like yogurt, pickled vegetables, tempeh are welcome on the plate.

Although many women completely avoid fats fearing extra pounds, such an attitude can be counterproductive. Sex hormones are synthesized from cholesterol, so maintaining cholesterol at an optimal level (neither too low nor too high is desirable!) is an important link in easier coping with perimenopause symptoms. Additionally, research has shown that increased intake of omega-3 fatty acids is a useful strategy in fighting perimenopause symptoms, especially hot flashes, which in other words means that fish, as well as nuts and seeds, should regularly appear on the menu.

Don't Forget Bone Health

With the drop in estrogen levels, the risk of developing osteopenia and osteoporosis increases. Muscle mass and strength exercises will help preserve bone health, but it's important through diet or supplements to ensure enough calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, but also boron, a mineral shown to have a positive effect on estrogen levels and help protect bone mass, found in prunes, apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, broccoli, spinach, carrots, onions, tomatoes.

Along with Nutrition, Training Is the Foundation of Metabolic Health

The basic function of training in optimizing women's health after 40 is preserving muscle and bone density, stimulating metabolism and improving body composition, as well as maintaining functionality into deep old age. The primary way to achieve this is strength training, i.e., with weights and loads, because they are key for strong muscles and bones.

It's desirable to include cardio activities like walking and cycling in the routine, as well as mobility exercises to prevent falls. Since training after 40 must be well tailored to the woman and her hormones, it's best to consult a trainer who is well familiar with this topic.

Allied Supplements for Women After 40

In this period, there is a whole range of preparations and medicinal herbs that can help support the body and alleviate symptoms of fluctuating hormones. However, assessing which supplement to choose, how and in what dose to use is best done in collaboration with a nutritionist or pharmacist, because there is no protocol that can be recommended to all women – an individual approach is essential. 

Still, in the context of metabolic health, we can highlight one substance that is gaining increasing attention when it comes to women's health, and that is creatine. This tripeptide has an extremely important role in maintaining muscle and bone mass, and women generally have lower stores than men, especially as they age. Therefore, one of the interventions recommended for women after 40 is supplementation with 3-5 g of creatine daily. 

This habit, in combination with training, will help maintain muscle function, bone strength, but also improve cognitive performance and mood – a property that is extremely desirable when a woman loses the strength of her hormones.

And Finally: What Do You Use to Charge Your Batteries?

It's clear, we can't avoid stress, but we can find ways to cope with it, which is especially important in perimenopause when our stress tolerance capacity is often reduced. Chronic stress can disrupt our cortisol curve and circadian rhythm – a real recipe for worsening symptoms and developing chronic conditions. 

Keep in mind that cortisol dysregulation contributes to weight gain and fatigue, which is certainly good motivation to find activities that calm you and charge your batteries. Meditation, yoga, nature walks, deep breathing are just some of the suggestions that can positively affect cortisol levels. Find your recipe for relaxation and practice it regularly so that during perimenopause you support your hormones, metabolism and overall well-being.