Weight gain and HRT There's little evidence that most types of HRT make you put on weight. You may gain some weight during the menopause and as you get older, but this often happens whether you take HRT or not. Exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet should help you to manage your weight.
Another reason why some women may appear to gain weight occurs when background anxiety, with reduced appetite, keeps weight a little lower than it would be naturally. This anxiety is often reversed by the positive impact of HRT, which in turn can increase appetite and weight over time.
There is no easy answer, but rebalancing the hormones, exercise routine and diet can help to increase your metabolic rate, which will ensure fat is burned more efficiently. Reducing overall stress in your life can help too, because stress can cause increased amounts of cortisol to be released.
NHS Inform says although many women believe taking HRT will make them put on weight, there is no evidence that this is the case. And many actually find they lose weight by using HRT as it shifts the metabolism back into a pre-menopausal state. Studies have backed this up too.
Can HRT make you gain weight? This is a common misconception – but the good news is, HRT does not cause weight gain! If you find that your weight is changing rapidly or if you're struggling to lose or gain weight, it's worth checking in with your doctor.
A recent study of postmenopausal women, ages 50 to 80, found that those who took hormones had significantly lower levels of belly fat than women who did not take hormones.
Immediate results are what we all want, but the benefits of HRT take a little time. While many people notice improvements in sleep or mood within weeks of starting HRT, changes like improved muscle mass or fat loss can take at least three to six months.
Hormone replacement therapy for weight loss
Bioidentical hormones are preferred because they're tailored to have the same molecular structure and biological effect as the hormones produced by your body. Research shows that bioidentical hormones may be safer and rarely cause side effects.
HRT is also known to help women maintain softer, smoother skin, resulting in a younger look. In addition to—and, often, as a result of—these physical changes, HRT often changes how you see yourself. In very real ways, using HRT to address symptoms of hormonal change can help you feel younger.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has profound metabolic effects which impact on the cardiovascular system. These effects include changes in lipids and lipoproteins, glucose and insulin metabolism, haemostatic factors, inflammatory markers and body composition, as well as changes in vascular function and remodelling.
There also appears to be a redistribution of fat mass at the time of the menopause, with an increase in the waist-to-hip ratio. Although it is a common belief that HRT inevitably causes weight gain, available evidence suggests that this is not true.
You may feel bloated and uncomfortable like having trapped wind. This can be due to the progesterone and usually settles with time.
While you may start feeling a difference within a few days or weeks, it usually takes longer for HRT to achieve its full effects. Three to six months is a reasonable trial period for systemic HRT, which includes pills, patches, sprays and gels. If you haven't seen an improvement by this point, speak to your doctor.
Many women actually find that they lose weight by using HRT as it shifts the metabolism back into a pre-menopausal metabolic state. Progesterone can sometimes cause fluid retention which can mimic weight gain, but there are alterations that can be made to the regime to minimise this impact.
On average, women gain 5-8% of their baseline body weight during this time,” she says. For the sake of simple math, this means if you weigh 100 pounds, on average you will gain five pounds in the two years after your final period.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) remains the gold standard of treatments for menopausal symptoms since it directly addresses their root cause: changing hormone levels. Thus, HRT may effectively treat fatigue and the symptoms that can exacerbate it.
Fat will collect around your hips and thighs and the muscles in your arms and legs will become less defined and have a smoother appearance as the fat just below your skin becomes a bit thicker. Hormones may not have a significant effect on the fat in your abdomen, also known as your “gut”.
Research says yes. Many studies have consistently shown a benefit of HRT on sleep in women who have vasomotor symptoms, when the vasomotor symptoms are causing the sleep disturbance. The main part of HRT is estrogen, to treat symptoms caused by estrogen deficiency.
In fact, a recent study found that women who used HRT had one point lower on the BMI scale and also about three pounds less of body fat compared to women who didn't use hormone replacement therapy.
Bloating, or swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the tissues can cause weight gain. This may be due to menstruation, heart or kidney failure, preeclampsia, or medicines you take. A rapid weight gain may be a sign of dangerous fluid retention. If you quit smoking, you might gain weight.
You may notice physical symptoms get better first, for example, at the correct dose of estrogen, hot flushes and night sweats are often much better after 4-6 weeks. However psychological symptoms, such as low mood or anxiety, can take a few more months to improve.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is medicine used to treat the symptoms of the menopause. It is common to have side effects in the first few months of taking HRT. These usually settle on their own within 6 to 8 weeks. Side effects include weight gain, irregular bleeding, feeling sick (nausea) and skin irritation.
Exercise. Exercise is key in getting to and staying at a weight that supports your health at any age. During menopause, it can help you lose belly fat. Doing “targeted" abdominal exercises to get rid of belly fat sounds like it would help, but you can't tell your body exactly where to shed pounds.