Menopause, Blood Sugar, and Weight Management (Part 2)

Understanding how menopause affects blood sugar can help you focus on effective strategies to stay healthy and lose weight

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Glucose is an important fuel for the human body. Every individual processes glucose differently, influenced by both physical and environmental factors. During menopause, glucose levels are shown to become significantly more challenging to control, due to shifting and changing hormonal balances.

Insulin Resistance

Insulin is a hormone that helps to control the amount of glucose (blood sugar) in an individual’s blood. Glucose is the main source of fuel in the body. Insulin works to pull glucose from the bloodstream and insert it into the body’s cells. Insulin resistance occurs when the cells in the liver, muscles, and body fat ignore or resist insulin’s signaling attempts.

If the cells in the body don’t respond correctly to signals from the insulin, sugar stays in the blood. The result is high blood sugar, or too much glucose, pumping through the bloodstream.

Estrogen and Its Relationship With Menopausal Weight Gain

Many women experience weight gain as they go through menopause. This is typically due to a lack of estrogen because estrogen helps to optimize insulin. Estrogen and progesterone production slow down gradually over time as a woman goes through each stage of the menopausal process. As this happens, the body has a greater potential to develop insulin resistance.

Estrogen also has an impact on hunger and satiety signals, so as estrogen levels plummet, a woman’s appetite often increases. A menopausal woman who at one time had no significant issues with overeating or recognizing when she was actually hungry may find herself feeling constantly hungry and consuming a much higher number of calories, resulting in weight gain.

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As estrogen and progesterone wane during menopause, a woman may also identify changes in how her body distributes fat. Instead of weight gain accumulating around a woman’s hips or thighs, the weight may begin to accumulate in the abdominal region, resulting in a larger belly. This fat is called visceral fat and is often referred to as “menopause belly.” Visceral fat secretes a protein called retinol-binding protein 4, which is associated with insulin resistance. High amounts of visceral fat can lead to Type 2 diabetes.

Risk Factors for Menopausal Weight Gain

There are a variety of risk factors associated with menopausal weight gain. Some are physiological and are considered to be nonmodifiable factors. However, psychological and lifestyle-related risk factors can be modified in a variety of ways.

Physiological Factors

• Aging.
• Decrease in basal metabolic rate and lean mass: Excess weight gain over a short period of time is often observed to coincide with a decline in lean mass. As a menopausal woman’s metabolic rate slows down, she may struggle to burn calories effectively enough to maintain an appropriate caloric balance.
• Secondary causes: Conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, hypothyroidism, or musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoporosis or osteoarthritis can all be recognized as a primary contributing factor to menopausal weight gain.

Psychological Factors

• Negative emotional state (depression, stress, anxiety, or mood disorders): Menopausal women may experience these forms of psychological distress, often influenced or triggered by body image concerns. Menopause brings about so many physical changes over time, and some women may find this particularly challenging on an emotional level.
• Emotional eating: Food is comforting, and some menopausal women may turn to food as they combat insecurities and challenges.

Lifestyle Factors

• Excessive calorie consumption.
• Excessive amounts of sugar and processed foods.
• Lack of physical activity.
• Lack of sleep.
• Smoking and alcohol consumption.
• Low dietary fiber.

These lifestyle factors work together to create a “perfect storm” of concerns for menopausal women. The quality of food consumed is just as important as the quantity. While caloric consumption is a leading cause of hormonal weight gain, the quality of food matters just as much. Consuming a diet of highly processed foods full of sugar, low-quality fats, and salt won’t nourish the body properly, leading to weight gain.

When the body isn’t properly nourished, it can cause sluggishness and lack of energy to exercise or be active day-to-day. This can also lead to disrupted sleep patterns.

Tips for Managing Blood Sugar During and After Menopause

Proper blood sugar stabilization and ongoing management of blood glucose levels are key to avoiding weight gain during menopause and beyond.

Low-Carb Diet

A low-carb diet to minimize glucose intake is highly recommended for women in menopause and postmenopause. Limiting carbohydrate consumption can also make a significant impact on weight loss and blood sugar regulation.

Consuming a nutrient-dense diet full of nourishing foods including grass-fed meat, fish, fruits and vegetables, raw dairy, fermented foods, seeds, and healthy fats will not only keep the body feeling full and satisfied but also help to reduce cravings and keep the blood sugar stable.

Equally important as eating a nutrient-dense diet is avoiding processed foods filled with sugar, inflammatory industrial seed oils, and artificial ingredients. These food products will not only leave the body unsatisfied and generate cravings, but they'll also cause blood sugar spikes and put stress on the body.

It’s important to note that a nutrient-dense diet that avoids processed foods doesn’t mean a low-calorie diet. Calorie restriction has been linked to a decrease in metabolic rate and can cause weight gain and insulin resistance. Proper food is fuel.

Exercise

Exercise is vitally important to maintaining stable glucose levels. It can also help the body to learn how to use insulin in an effective way. There are a variety of reasons women may become less active during menopause, such as physical limitations, lack of energy, and lifestyle changes that don’t require them to be as active day-to-day. Carving out intentional time each day to move the body can go a long way.

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Regular daily exercise to burn sugar in the body can be done in a variety of ways based on physical ability and preference. A simple activity such as walking 30 minutes per day or 10 to 20 minutes after each meal can make a huge difference in keeping blood sugar stable throughout the day. Other forms of moderate aerobic exercise such as swimming, jogging, or biking can help add variety to an exercise routine, and adding resistance training exercises can help maintain bone dentistry and mass and avoid conditions such as osteoporosis.

Daily exercise can help with keeping caloric intake balanced and relieving common menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and difficulty sleeping.

Ensure Proper Thyroid Function

Menopause’s decreasing estrogen levels can affect the thyroid hormone at the cellular level and therefore affect metabolic health. Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid gland isn’t producing enough thyroid hormone. This causes the metabolism to slow down, which could further cause weight concerns in menopausal women. A skilled provider should run a thorough thyroid panel and know how to correct any imbalances.

Supplement With Berberine and Cinnamon

Supplementing with berberine and cinnamon can significantly help to control blood sugar.

Berberine, traditionally used in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, is a compound found in plants such as Phellodendron, European barberry, and goldenseal. By activating the AMPK protein, berberine helps the body learn to effectively process insulin, which awakens fat-burning enzymes and helps to reduce body fat over time.

Cinnamon is also an effective way of controlling blood sugar. This common aromatic spice is easy to incorporate into a diet each day by adding a small amount to beverages, smoothies, or other foods. Cinnamon helps to slow the breakdown of carbs, helping the body avoid a blood sugar spike, while also increasing insulin sensitivity. It’s recommended to only consume about a quarter teaspoon of cassia or up to a teaspoon of Ceylon cinnamon each day.

Hydration

Keeping hydrated each day helps to flush excess blood sugar through the kidneys and out of the body through urine. Drinking properly filtered water is recommended, and it’s beneficial to add a pinch of unrefined salt to help keep minerals and electrolytes balanced. People often mistake thirst for hunger and eat extra calories but remain dehydrated.

Manage Stress

Day-to-day stress management is an effective method to keep glucose levels under control. When the body is experiencing stress, cortisol levels begin to increase, signaling the body to produce more glucose.

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It’s important to work to identify the causes of stress and seek to eliminate or decrease those stressors whenever possible. While that may not be an option at times, there are a variety of ways to manage stress, such as spending time outdoors, engaging in your favorite hobby, talking about your stress with a trusted loved one or therapist, and allowing time for prayer or meditation each day. Finding ways to relax deeply using breathing techniques or practicing yoga can be helpful in daily stress management and easing anxiety.

Close management of blood sugar levels (pdf) throughout a woman’s menopausal years is an effective way to identify any potential issues with insulin resistance and what might be triggering glucose spikes.

To learn about the essentials of menopause read Part 1: A Quick, Essential Guide to Menopause

To learn about whether hormone replacement therapy read Part 3: Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Helpful for Women Going Through Menopause?

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Epoch Health welcomes professional discussion and friendly debate. To submit an opinion piece, please follow these guidelines and submit through our form here.