Many women experience joint and muscle pain and stiffness around the time of menopause - that they hadn't experienced before. Because there are estrogen receptors all over the body, including the joints, declining hormone levels can add to pain caused by inflammation, general wear and tear, and just plain aging.
Unfortunately, unlike many other symptoms of the menopause, joint pain may not subside when hormones level out, but there are many lifestyle changes that can help ease pain and prevent it from getting worse.
Loss of Oestrogen and testosterone:
Oestrogen protects joints and reduces inflammation, but when estrogen levels drop, inflammation can increase, the risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis can go up and make it painful to move freely.
Including ingredients such as vitamin D, zinc and magnesium, which are known to help with joint and bone strength, Equi's supplement also contains rosemary extract. The latter contains 30% ursolic acid, an antioxidant shown to reduce inflammation throughout the body.
Eating a diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help reduce inflammation in the body and alleviate joint pain. Herbs such as turmeric, ginger, and willow bark contain anti-inflammatory properties and have been used for centuries to reduce pain and inflammation in the body.
Aches, stiffness, and swelling around the joint are common symptoms of menopausal joint pain. As a woman approaches menopause, her body goes through drastic hormonal changes that can affect her in many ways.
The primary female hormone, estrogen, protects joints and reduces inflammation, but when estrogen levels drop during menopause, inflammation can increase, the risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis can go up and the result can be painful joints.
There can be many causes of your daily discomforts, but the most common is osteoarthritis — a wear-and-tear disease caused when the tissue (or cartilage) between your bones breaks down, causing joint pain.
Commons Indicators for the End of Menopause
Women may find that they are sleeping better and feeling healthier overall as their hormone levels even out. This can also lead to improvements in mood, energy levels, and cognitive function.
Traditional natural hormone replacement therapies
phytoestrogens, which are dietary estrogens found in legumes, seeds, and whole grains. folate (vitamin B-9 or folic acid) St. John's wort.
Magnesium typically decreases along with estrogen in menopause, making symptoms associated with low magnesium levels more noticeable. Magnesium supplements can benefit people in menopause, but be sure to talk to your healthcare provider before taking any new supplements.
Recap. Some research has shown that people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis may benefit from magnesium in their diet or as a supplement. Since arthritis can cause inflammation, magnesium's anti-inflammatory effects might help some people with the condition.
Estrogen replacement therapy can help raise estrogen levels in your body, which may also help fight inflammation. This, in turn, can help reduce swelling and pain from osteoarthritis. Therefore, this may explain why women on HRT report less frequent joint pain.
It is recommended to take between 200-400 mg of magnesium daily to help alleviate menopause symptoms. Magnesium helps to regulate hormones, reduce hot flashes, and improve sleep. It is important to talk to a healthcare professional to determine the best dosage for your individual needs.
Falling Estrogen levels
During perimenopause or menopause, a woman's ovaries either stop producing estrogen or the levels begin to decline thus triggering joint pain, swelling, weakness and a lack of mobility.
Lifestyle factors absolutely play a role, including getting sufficient sleep, lowering stress levels, eating a nutritious and anti-inflammatory diet, and controlling toxin exposure. Along with these factors, there are some key supplements to help keep inflammation down. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and hormone.
Acute pain in multiple joints is most often due to inflammation, gout, or the beginning or flare up of a chronic joint disorder. Chronic pain in multiple joints is usually due to osteoarthritis or an inflammatory disorder (such as rheumatoid arthritis) or, in children, juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
This group of symptoms is very broad, and can include pain, discomfort and stiffness in the joints or muscles of almost any part of the body. Other types of pain can also be more common around the time of menopause.
B Vitamins
Riboflavin – found in milk, eggs, mushrooms, and fortified cereals – daily recommended intake of 1.1mg for women. Niacin – found in meat, fish, eggs, and wheat flour – daily recommended intake of 13.2mg for women. Pantothenic acid – found in chicken, beef, eggs, mushrooms, and avocados.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): HRT can help restore hormone levels in the body to a point which will reduce joint pain and stiffness. However, it is important to weigh the benefits and risks of HRT with a healthcare provider, as it may not be suitable for everyone.
From hot flushes and irregular periods to mood swings and stiff joints, menopause symptoms are not something to downplay. They can have a significant impact on day-to-day life and, sometimes, they can even overlap with arthritis symptoms, which can make it even trickier to get a diagnosis.
Foods that reportedly increase estrogen include flax seeds, soybean products, chocolate, fruit, nuts, chickpeas, and legumes. Before we delve into why these foods are said to increase estrogen, we need to look at two important definitions; phytoestrogens and lignans.