Menopause and perimenopause Archive

As estrogen levels drop, women's bodies store more fat around the abdomen, fueling a weight shift to the belly. Women can counter this by ramping up protein intake and doing strength training to maintain muscle mass and metabolism.

Over-the-counter menopause test kits detect levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in a urine sample. But FSH levels can be high just before ovulation as well as when menopause is approaching, making test results ambiguous.

A new type of nonhormonal medication to prevent hot flashes and night sweats due to menopause, Veozah, was approved by the FDA in 2023. An ad for the drug has useful information, but some key questions are not answered.

Dozens of over-the-counter supplements are marketed to women in the menopause transition that purportedly help relieve bothersome symptoms such as hot flashes, low libido, brain fog, or mood shifts. But because these products don't require FDA approval or rigorous testing, women should be wary about their effectiveness. Women who consider menopause supplements should avoid blended products, stop taking them if they experience side effects, and try healthy lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and weight control to allay symptoms.

A 2024 study suggests that hormone therapy for women under 60, including micronized progesterone and estrogen taken through the skin, effectively treats menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats while posing few health risks.

A 2024 study suggests that women in perimenopause are significantly more likely to experience depression than either before or after this stage.

Two-thirds of Americans with long COVID are women. Women approaching menopause who have long COVID seem to experience worsened symptoms of both conditions. Women's sex hormones appear to contribute to this phenomenon. Hormone therapy is becoming both a treatment and a diagnostic tool to determine driving factors behind affected women's symptoms. Because symptoms overlap, some women may have trouble being correctly diagnosed with perimenopause or long COVID.

A 2024 study suggests that younger women with migraines and early menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats may have higher cardiovascular risks at midlife.

Uterine fibroids affect up to 80% of women by age 50. These noncancerous growths can shrink as menopause approaches and the body's estrogen level falls. But for some women, fibroids grow during and after the transition to menopause, worsening symptoms such as heavy bleeding, pelvic or lower back pain, bloating, frequent urination, or painful sex. Treatments for other health conditions may also influence older women's fibroid symptoms. To avert cancer concerns, doctors may remove fibroids that grow noticeably after menopause.