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Probably one of the most common questions I’m asked is “Will HRT make me gain weight?”. The answer is it’s not necessarily the HRT that makes you gain weight but mid-life itself. I speak to many women who say they’ve avoided taking HRT as their friends have gained weight since starting it. So let me explain..

During our mid-life our female hormones change; rising and falling with our menstrual cycles and of course the menopause. The menopause is all about the ending of our periods but not the ending of our symptoms. Our female hormones impact our mood, our weight and our energy levels. Our bodies are clever (well sort of) and adapt to our ovaries producing less Oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone by laying down more fat cells. Our bodies believe these fat cells will produce the Oestrogen our ovaries no longer produce. But this is where is all falls apart as the exact oestrogen our ovaries produce can’t be replaced by our fat cells. So we’re stuck with this fat…or are we? These extra fat cells are fondly known as our “Middle Aged Spread” or “Menobelly”(what lovely phrases!).

Our bodies are trying to help so what now? We have extra fat around our middle, clothes don’t look great and we still have menopausal symptoms. Of course, eating less and exercising more can and does help many women lose this weight but there is more at play here. Oestrogen helps regulate our blood sugars, so low levels can affect how our bodies respond to insulin making weight gain more common plus much more.

HRT is neutral meaning for some women I’ve prescribed HRT have lost weight; for some women their weight has remained the same; other women have put weight on. Just as we all have different symptoms of the menopause; weight gain is the same. I always explain that by taking HRT your menopausal symptoms such as muscle aches/joint stiffness are often reduced; energy levels increased and fatigue is a thing of the past and let’s not forget that we can feel more motivated when we replace our female hormones too. Getting your “Va Va Voom” back can make you feel more like the old you once again.

Therefore, with the right HRT, the best menopause and individual lifestyle advice maybe just maybe you can fit into that Bikini after all.

If you’d like to talk to a menopause nurse practitioner who can prescribe you HRT, discuss your menopausal symptoms and manage your long-term health please get in touch with me. enquiries@bourne2care.co.uk

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