Weight Gain

Most prematurely menopausal women will begin to notice a change in their body contour and a tendency to accumulate weight in their midsection, before reaching the age of thirty or even forty. Changing levels in estrogen or progesterone can cause a variety of physical side effects. One of the most common is an unavoidable tendency to gain weight despite not having changed diet or exercise habits. The shift from a “pear” shape to an “apple”, as the waistline begins disappearing and the body becomes thicker around the middle, does not go easily unnoticed. Researchers have found that since certain hormones are stored in fat, when the woman’s body begins to experience menopausal symptoms that cause a drop in hormone levels, the body naturally becomes more vigilant in holding on to these fat cells. In addition, low progesterone levels have been associated with increased water retention, which on a scale translates into added pounds. The decrease in progesterone levels in comparison to estrogen levels has also been linked to increased blood-sugar fluctuations, that not only cause increased appetite, but a condition known as insulin resistance. When the body is insulin resistant, it does not easily convert calories into energy; instead, it holds on to fat and greatly impedes a person’s ability to burn fat even when exercising.

Prescription vs. Alternative

Since women have a tendency to put on and keep weight because their hormone levels are low, they can in turn keep the weight off, or at the very least gain less, by reestablishing their hormonal balance. One major complaint of women on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), however, with the use of prescription drugs, is actually weight gain! This is because progestins tend to make the women retain water, and hence feel and look heavier. Natural progesterone, on the other hand, does not seem to have this side effect. In fact, it often works as a diuretic and causes women to lose water weight rather than gain it.

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