Weight gain is a common result of the muscle loss that occurs as we age. Photo / I Yunmai
Weight gain is a common result of the muscle loss that occurs as we age. Photo / I Yunmai
Menopause is often blamed for midlife weight gain, but new global guidance suggests the reality is more complicated.
Speaking to Louise Ayrey and Francesca Rudkin on The Little Things podcast, author and menopause expert Niki Bezzant says, “we can’t blame menopause for weight gain as weage. There isn’t evidence tying those two things together”.
What menopause can be blamed for is where weight sits.
“We can blame menopause for a redistribution of weight … we get that redistribution of weight through the middle of our bodies,” she says.
While hormonal changes shift body composition, actual weight gain is more closely linked to ageing and the lifestyle shifts that come with it.
“It’s really more around age … lowered activity, lowered energy expenditure and perhaps a little bit more energy intake,” Bezzant says.
Menopause expert Niki Bezzant says there are no shortcuts to maintaining muscle health as we age. Photo / Supplied
While menopause might not be directly responsible for weight gain, its symptoms can stack the odds against women.
“If you think about ... a lot of the things that happen in perimenopause and menopause – hot flushes, sleep disturbance, mental health issues – all of these things actually make us less likely to move.”
Bezzant says this can lead to muscle loss, making the body more inclined to gain fat. She says declining oestrogen levels associated with the onset of menopause also play a part.
“We know that sarcopenia, which is muscle loss that happens to all humans, happens to us with ageing. But it’s particularly common in post-menopausal women, because oestrogen has a role in keeping hold of muscle and muscle-building.”
For those wanting to ensure optimum muscle health during midlife, Bezzant says staying active is the only option.
“There’s really nothing that we can take to alleviate it. We have to do things, we have to move our bodies, we have to exercise. And that is a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training or strength exercise.”
While protein-rich diets and supplements such as creatine can support muscle strength, Bezzant is clear that there are no short-cuts when it comes to muscle growth.
“You can’t just take those things and expect your muscles to grow. You’ve actually got to work those muscles. You can’t just eat protein and expect to hang on to your muscle. You’ve got to eat the protein, maybe take the creatine and you’ve really got to work those muscles. Challenge them.”
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The Little Things is available on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. The series is hosted by broadcaster Francesca Rudkin and health researcher Louise Ayrey. New episodes are available every second Saturday.
