Perimenopause: Discover the Truth Behind Hormonal Changes and How They Affect Your Body

Perimenopause is the transitional phase women go through in the years leading up to menopause, when menstruation ends. Typically, a woman can expect perimenopause to begin in her 40s, though the exact age can vary from her late 30s to early 50s.

Unfortunately, despite all of the distressing symptoms that can occur during perimenopause, there is no FDA-approved treatment for any of them. In other words, the conventional medical system generally does not support women going through perimenopause.

It’s up to women to figure out a way through, and that starts with awareness of the symptoms and where they come from.

Common Perimenopause Symptoms

During perimenopause, a process that generally lasts from 4–8 years, a woman’s body goes through hormonal changes that can cause a plethora of symptoms. These include night sweats, hot flashes, irregular menstrual cycles, mood swings, weight gain, decreased libido, memory and concentration issues, reduced energy levels, sleep disturbances, muscle and joint pain, vaginal dryness, and changes and skin and hair.

Such a long list of potential symptoms, and I haven’t even named them all, may feel overwhelming. But it’s important to note that each woman’s experience of perimenopause is unique. The combination and intensity of symptoms vary from woman to woman.

Understanding the variety of symptoms that can occur during perimenopause is essential in maintaining physical and mental health. This is especially true in the face of a healthcare system that tends to brush aside the symptoms as normal and therefore offers few if any practical solutions.

For example, mood swings, fluctuations in energy levels, and brain fog are among the symptoms that are less obviously connected to perimenopause, even by the traditional healthcare system. These symptoms can drastically impact a woman’s professional and personal life.

Instead of feeling like you’re going crazy or that your body is suddenly conspiring against you, awareness of the connection of these symptoms to perimenopause allows you to figure out the tools you need to effectively manage and retain your vitality.

The Hormonal Changes Behind the Symptoms

Perimenopause symptoms are caused by fluctuating levels of estrogen and a decline in progesterone. During early perimenopause, estrogen levels often remain relatively high, but unpredictable fluctuations are at the root of many of the symptoms.

Estrogen is central in regulating the menstrual cycle and reproductive system. It also helps maintain healthy bones and skin, helps regulate mood, and contributes to heart health. Progesterone works alongside estrogen in regulating a woman’s body.

As perimenopause progresses and women experience a gradual decline in both estrogen and progesterone production, all of these bodily systems are impacted, leading to all the symptoms women feel as their body transitions to a new stage in life.

Perimenopause and Metabolic Changes

What woman doesn’t complain about weight gain as she ages? Slowly, it becomes more and more difficult for us to maintain our usual weight.

Hormonal changes during perimenopause, particularly a decline in estrogen, are often behind weight gain. Estrogen plays an important role in regulating metabolism by influencing how the body uses and stores energy. So, as estrogen levels decrease, metabolic changes are not far behind.

Decreased estrogen levels cause a chain of events to occur in the body that can lead to weight gain. Decreased estrogen can cause insulin resistance, leading to increased insulin levels, leading to increased visceral fat and fatty deposits and inflammation. Aside from weight gain alone, this can lead to chronic disease, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

A decline in estrogen can also cause shifts in body composition, increasing fat mass and decreasing lean muscle mass. All of this highlights the intricate relationship between hormonal changes, insulin resistance, body composition shifts, and their potential implications for metabolism during perimenopause.

It is crucial for women to maintain a healthy lifestyle during perimenopause to mitigate these metabolic changes that impact weight. To do this effectively and in concordance with the way your hormone levels are changing often requires more mindfulness, monitoring, and tracking than ever before.

Sign up to access Dr. Sarah Bonza’s Fullscript Dispensary and discover her recommended b-cut supplements to help you on your perimenopause or menopause journey. Specific supplements can help reduce the symptoms you experience.

Learn more about perimenopause and your hormonal health with our upcoming course, The Vitality Blueprint: A Physician’s Step-by-Step Guide to Conquering Perimenopause.

Join the waitlist today! Course will launch soon.