There's little evidence that most types of HRT make you put on 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.
Weight gain and HRT
Many women believe that taking HRT will make them put on weight, but there's no evidence to support this claim. You may gain some weight during the menopause, but this often happens regardless of whether you take HRT.
All of the data that we have suggests that HRT does not cause weight gain and it is in fact menopause that causes weight gain. Of course weight gain is very multifactorial. Many women actually find that they lose weight by using HRT as it shifts the metabolism back into a pre-menopausal metabolic state.
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.
Some women resist taking HRT for fear of weight gain but there is no scientific evidence that HRT causes weight gain. A very small group of women may develop fluid retention with HRT (up to 10lbs in a month) but generally it is mild and will balance out in a month or two.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
HRT won't dramatically increase your metabolism so that you can lose weight without even trying. You have to combine HRT with a healthy diet and active lifestyle to obtain the maximum benefits. Make sure that you're consuming ample protein, and avoid processed carbohydrates.
You may feel bloated and uncomfortable like having trapped wind. This can be due to the progesterone and usually settles with time.
You might feel a bit sick or nauseous, or experience breast tenderness, bloating or headaches, particularly in the first few days. You can see a full list of side effects of the different hormones in HRT here.
The most noticeable effects of taking HRT are a reduction in menopausal symptoms, which can often respond quite rapidly to treatment. Perhaps even more importantly, HRT provides significant protection against osteoporosis; however, HRT is only licensed for second-line use in the prevention of osteoporosis.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Weight gain and fluctuations in weight can happen for a variety of reasons. Many people progressively gain weight as they age or make changes to their lifestyle. However, fast weight gain can be a sign of an underlying health condition, such as a problem with the thyroid, kidneys, or heart.
Hormone Replacement Therapy
Thus, HRT may effectively treat fatigue and the symptoms that can exacerbate it. In particular, estrogen replacement is considered the most effective treatment for the vasomotor symptoms that tend to occur in concert with fatigue and can be instrumental in restoring energy levels.