According to new research, sticking to a healthy diet can improve menopausal symptoms in as little as six months.
The research – which analysed over 70,000 peri and postmenopausal women – found that adopting a healthy plant-based diet could reduce overall peri and postmenopausal symptoms by 30% and 37% respectively, while also improving sexual symptoms, such as low libido, by up to 19% in perimenopausal women and 29% in postmenopausal women.
Led by Professor Sarah Berry, in collaboration with King’s College London and funded by the British Menopause Society, the data highlights the impact nutrition can have on the quality of life for women during this transitional period.
There’s so much misinformation around menopause, so it’s no surprise that many women don’t know what they’re experiencing or how to change it. Previously we didn’t ever talk about menopause and as a result, there’s so much we still don’t know, yet we do know that it encompasses a huge portion of women’s lives
The study
99.8% and 93% of the 70,000 peri and postmenopausal participants included in this observational study experienced at least one of the 20 most common menopause symptoms.
After following the dietary guidance (a healthy plant-based diet with an increased intake of whole grains and legumes), these were the changes they reported:
- Mood changes, anxiety, and depression decreased by 35% in perimenopausal women and 44% in postmenopausal women.
- Issues such as fatigue, weight gain, memory loss, and sleep disturbances were reduced by 32% in perimenopausal women and 38% in postmenopausal women.
- Night sweats, hot flashes, and chills were reduced by 30% in perimenopausal women and 32% in postmenopausal women.
What does this mean?
Menopause significantly affects a woman’s metabolism and gut microbiome, leading to poorer blood sugar responses, reduced sleep quality, and an increased tendency to consume sugary foods. These changes can exacerbate menopausal symptoms, but this new research indicates that diet can help mitigate these effects.
How? Foods that are high in fibre, like whole grains and legumes, not only reduce inflammation and blood sugar spikes but also positively alter the gut microbiome, which can lead to a reduction in symptoms.