How the menopause effects our metabolism

This summer (2022) Indi hosted its very first press event exploring 'THE 'META-PAUSE - how does the menopause effect our metabolism?

It is an exciting time to discuss the subject with new evidence emerging from the ZOE PREDICT study (the largest human nutrition study of its kind) showing surprising effects of the menopause on our daily metabolism.

We promised to share the inside scoop from our event to arm you with the most up to date knowledge on how diet can transform health through the hormonal transitions of a woman’s life.

WHAT THE EVIDENCE SHOWS

The ZOE study demonstrated that during and after menopause a powerful shift occurs in a woman’s metabolism and microbiome composition, affecting our gut-health and nutritional status. The key findings are summarised here:

• Increased inflammation and blood sugar responses after eating
• Negative effects on blood sugar control (a key risk factor of cardiovascular disease atype 2 diabetes), showing for the first time this is not just an inevitable part of aging
• Higher body fat percentage and increased inflammation
• Post-menopausal women are more likely to consume higher intakes of dietary sugars and report poorer sleep compared with women of the same age
• Declining estrogen levels, that may act to increase risk for weight gain over time
• Increased presence of pro-inflammatory and obesogenic bacteria species

WHAT THIS MEANS IN PRACTICE

The good news is that by incorporating new scientific learnings on menopause into the diet, women may partially reduce the unfavourable health impacts of menopause, either directly by reducing inflammation and blood sugar spikes or indirectly by altering the microbiome.

“I believe Indi supplements can act as a diet enhancer, to help support women through the hormonal transitions of the menopause.” - Dr Federica Amati

5 SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL TIPS

Federica shares 5 tips to support metabolism during menopause:

1. Be mindful of the ultra-processed carbohydrates such as rice cakes, biscuits and white bread in your diet. Reduce them as much as possible and opt for whole grains instead and try to incorporate pulses, such as beans, chickpeas and lentils into your diet.

2. Enjoy fibre rich whole plants as often as possible. Supplements can also support women at this time, with a daily serving of a supplement powder, such as Indi Body, providing 12 different types of plant foods. I suggest consuming before a meal to fuel your body with some of the best health-boosting foods known to science and this smart blend also includes fibre to help regulate the absorption of sugars from your food into your bloodstream and contains the EFSA recommended dose of Oat Beta Glucan, which supports cardiovascular health in menopausal women.

3. Avoid low-fat and/or sugar-free foods. They are not beneficial for gut health and they do not help to maintain a healthy weight or achieve weight loss.

4. Eating plant-based foods in various colours will maximise the benefits to your health. This includes polyphenols, such as anthocyanin in blue and purple plants, which can counteract oxidative stress, and prebiotic fibres such as inulin, proven to support lipid metabolism and a healthy microbiome profile, which is key during the menopause.

5. Use plenty of extra virgin olive oil, which acts as an antioxidant and helps to reduce inflammation, a common symptom of the menopause.

To learn more, check out this article in The Times with Dr Fede taking centre stage.