Changing hormones during menopause may cause unexpected and unwanted side effects. Here’s what you need to know to keep them at bay.
Hot flashes. Night sweats. Mood swings. These are the symptoms that usually come to mind when you say the word menopause. But "the change” can have other surprising and unwanted effects on your body and mind, says OB-GYN Mary Jane Minkin, MD.
Some of these effects, such as brain fog, go away once you’ve fully gone through menopause. Others, such as weight gain, can be controlled through lifestyle. And then there are those, such as dry eye, that are often here to stay.
Still, even with stubborn postmenopausal issues, you can do a lot to keep them in check. Here’s how.
More than half of postmenopausal women report having some hair loss. This may be due partly to the loss of estrogen that comes with menopause. It could also be caused by an underlying condition such as thyroid disease.
Tips that can help: Treatment will depend on the cause. Be sure to work with your doctor. But eating a healthy diet and taking a multivitamin may also help, reports the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). So can using some over-the-counter (OTC) products such as topical minoxidil.
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During and after menopause, you may notice new eye symptoms such as:
Tips that can help: Most women can find relief by:
Also, regular eye exams are a must. The reason: Postmenopausal women have a higher risk of cataracts (clouding of the lens of the eye) and glaucoma. Catching and treating these issues early can help fend off vision loss or even blindness.
Many women say they feel more forgetful and have “brain fog” while going through menopause.
A recent study sheds some light on why. Scientists scanned the brains of 161 women between the ages of 40 and 65 who were in perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. They found several brain changes, including a decrease in brain matter and increases in deposits of proteins linked with Alzheimer’s disease.
Tips that can help: The good news is that women’s memory issues and fogginess often fade on their own over time. In the meantime, eat a healthy, Mediterranean-style diet. It’s rich in:
This way of eating seems especially supportive of brain health. In fact, in a study, middle-aged adults who followed a Mediterranean diet had fewer signs of Alzheimer’s in their brain than those who didn’t.
Another important way to boost your brainpower: Get plenty of Z’s, because some memory problems may simply be due to sleep deprivation.
Women (and men) start to experience bone in their 30s. But the process speeds up in women after menopause.
Tips that can help: If you’ve gone through menopause and you’re under 65, ask your doctor if you need a bone density test. If you’re 65 or older and haven’t had a bone density test, schedule one.
There are medications that can help slow bone loss. Taking calcium and vitamin D supplements may also help:
Women gain about five pounds on average after menopause. Lower estrogen levels play a role. But the bigger culprit is often just the natural metabolic slowdown that comes with age.
It’s important to keep an eye on this weight gain. It can raise your risk for health problems such as:
Tips that can help: For starters, stick with that Mediterranean diet. One study found that postmenopausal women who did were able to lose the same amount of weight as perimenopausal women.
Also, do some resistance training. This type of exercise uses weights or your own body weight to build strength and endurance. Examples include:
And more muscle mass may help you burn more calories.
An overall increase in heart attacks is seen in women about a decade after menopause. As your estrogen levels go down, your LDL, or bad cholesterol, and triglycerides go up. At the same time, your HDL, or good cholesterol, stays the same or decreases.
You’re also more likely to develop insulin resistance, which raises your risk of heart disease.
Tips that can help: Eating a heart-healthy diet and getting regular exercise are two great moves. But it’s also important to stay on top of heart health screenings, says Dr. Goldberg. This includes knowing key numbers such as your:
If your numbers aren’t where they should be, work with your doctor to bring them back into a healthy range.
One final thought? It’s important to remember that menopause isn’t a disease. It’s a natural part of a woman’s life cycle. You can turn it into a positive by using this time to really take stock of your health.
Article sources:
Hair loss statistic: Menopause
Hair loss and healthy diet; eye health: The Menopause Society
Menopause and dementia study: Neurology
Mediterranean diet and brain health study: Neurology
Bone density test: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Calcium and vitamin D: Office of Women’s Health
Mediterranean diet and weight loss study: Nutrients
Resistance training study: Aging Clinical and Experimental Research
