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Menopause | The Effects on Exercise and Fitness

TFS • 30 August 2022

Menopause | The Effects on Exercise and Fitness


The menopause is a natural stage in life when your periods stop. People who experience the menopause usually reach it between the ages of 40 and 60 however you may start to experience symptoms years before it happens, as your hormone levels start to change.


We know that hormones can play a huge part when it comes to our overall health and well-being so it stands to reason that the menopause would have an effect on your exercise and fitness. These effects can be physically induced or mentally induced and may vary from person to person.


Estrogen affects a multitude of bodily systems and organs, including the urinary tract, heart and blood vessels, bones, brain, hair, mucus membranes, and the largest organ of the body, the skin. Considering this, when estrogen levels start to decline, it’s inevitable that effects will be felt. The variety and magnitude of these effects differs from individual to individual but commonly includes;

·       Hot flushes

·       Palpitations

·       Muscle, joint and head aches

·       Weight gain and a change in body shape

·       Changes in skin condition (dry, itchy)


Exercise can be affected in two ways; through the willingness to exercise due to the uncomfortable feeling of hot flushes and disputed sleep or through the physical symptoms such as joint pain. Exercise however forms a vital part of the coping strategy and can aid in offsetting many of the common symptoms. 


While many of the common symptoms above are temporary and don’t necessarily have a profound negative impact on long-term health, there is an increased risk among post-menopausal women of developing osteoporosis. This is due to a significant increase in the loss of bone density during and immediately following the menopause itself. Osteoporosis can go unnoticed until a weakened bone is fractured or broken. Losing bone mass is a natural part of aging but can be slowed and delayed in a number of ways that include medications, supplements, hormone therapy’s and exercise.


Weight bearing exercises in particular are vitally important for a multitude of reasons but their ability to help maintain lean muscle mass and improve bone density is the reason why they should feature in an individual’s plan to tackle issues brought about by the menopause. This can include exercising with weights in the form of machines or free weights or by performing exercises with your own body weight such as squats, lunges and press ups.


Navigating the menopause may not only be a physically turbulent ordeal but can also be mentally challenging also. Increased levels of anxiety, brain fog and low mood are commonly reported and these can factor heavily in how motivated you may feel to exercise and take care of your physical wellbeing. In this situation it’s important to understand that this is usually a perpetual issue and neglecting the physical will often cause further detriment to the mental.


Maintaining a clear understanding that exercise and good physical health will in turn improve the mental portion while also bringing all of the other positive adaptations as well is key to overcoming this hurdle and in turn using exercise and fitness as a powerful weapon against the negative effects of the menopause.


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