Low Estrogen Estrogen doesn't just play a role in water retention; it also aids in bile production. This means that low estrogen may lead to a reduction in bile, which may lead to symptoms that cause menopausal bloating.
A range of hormone imbalances can lead to abdominal bloating, discomfort, and weight gain. They include thyroid problems, Cushing syndrome, and other health conditions. In males, it may result from low testosterone levels and changes in estrogen levels.
First, estrogen causes water retention. When estrogen spikes and progesterone drops, you'll notice bloating from fluids. This, in addition to the increased volume of your uterus just before menstruation, can give you a bloated stomach. But hormones also interact with your digestive system.
How Estrogen Replacement Therapy Can Help with Belly Fat During Menopause. Recent studies show that menopausal women on hormone therapy tend to have less body fat, especially visceral belly fat. Because estrogen affects how your body distributes fat, low estrogen levels can contribute to gaining fat in your belly area.
Can HRT help? Sometimes the best relief for menopause bloating is HRT, which can balance your oestrogen and progesterone levels. However, bloating alone is not usually a reason to start HRT, and your doctor will want to fully explore any underlying causes for your symptoms in the first instance.
Estrogen affects the hypothalamus, which regulates body temperature. Low estrogen causes hot flashes and night sweats, two annoying symptoms of menopause and perimenopause.
“Women also become more estrogen-dominant as we move into perimenopause and beyond. Estrogen dominance promotes insulin resistance, which causes the belly fat build-up,” she says.
With age, the amount of acid present in the abdomen responsible for digesting food decreases. It is noticed that in the elderly the pepsin output is reduced by approximately 40 per cent. A decrease in pepsin makes it difficult for your body to break down protein, which makes people bloated and gassy.
“It is possible to overcome hormonal changes, particularly in women with perimenopausal belly fat or menopausal weight gain,” explains Registered Dietician, Lon Ben-Asher from the Pritikin Center.
Decreasing amounts of estrogen and progesterone during menopause can slow down the process of food passing through the GI system. When the digestive process takes longer, more water is reabsorbed back into the bloodstream, which can lead to constipation, increased gas and bloating.
Causes include poor diet, lack of exercise, and short or low-quality sleep. A healthy diet and active lifestyle can help people lose excess belly fat and lower the risk of problems associated with it.
To attack belly fat and any other menopausal weight gain, you'll need to burn between 400 and 500 calories most days of the week from cardiovascular exercise, such as walking briskly, jogging, bicycling, dancing, or swimming, Peeke says.
An alcohol belly is caused by drinking too much alcohol and consuming alcoholic beverages with too many calories. On the other hand, a hormonal belly is a lower abdominal weight gain that's caused by a hormonal imbalance with hormones either being too high or too low.