The Importance of Exercise During Menopause

Behind the term menopause is the biggest change process of the female body - it affects the entire organism and presents women with various challenges. While many tend to neglect sports and workouts during this phase, the exact opposite pays off sustainably for health, says Dr. Sabrina Vollrath.

The Swiss expert in female physiology, a specialist and senior physician for gynecology and obstetrics at the Inselspital in Bern, where she specializes in female hormones and fertility. For many years, the 36-year-old has been researching the effect of sports on female sex hormones and, together with other gynecologists, founded Gynsports.ch , a digital platform, a network, and a contact point that advises female athletes on the subject of women's health in sports.

Menopause is considered a particularly challenging time, let's start with something positive: You can support your body well in this phase, namely with sports. Why should all women in menopause increase rather than decrease their activity level?

Sport has an enormous effect on the female body during and after menopause. Regular exercise helps stabilize blood sugar levels and lower unfavorable markers such as cholesterol. It reduces the intensity of hot flashes and lowers the risk of breast cancer by 21 percent.

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Zudem wird die Fettverbrennung angeregt, die Knochendichte gestärkt und chronischen Krankheiten wie Typ-2-Diabetes, Bluthochdruck und Übergewicht vorgebeugt. Gleichzeitig verbessert sich die Schlafqualität, und chronische Rückenschmerzen können sich verbessern.

Das hört sich absolut fantastisch an! Damit wir alle auf demselben Wissensstand sind: Was versteht man medizinisch eigentlich unter der Menopause?

Die letzte Regelblutung im Leben einer Frau wird als Menopause bezeichnet. Die Phase vor der letzten Menstruation nennt man Prämenopause, die Zeit danach Postmenopause. Durch das Versiegen der Eierstockfunktion, im Durchschnitt passiert das im 51. Lebensjahr, kommt der bisher regelmäßige Menstruationszyklus zum Erliegen.

Gleichzeitig verändert sich die Hormonlage: Die Spiegel der weiblichen Geschlechtshormone im Blut sinken. Diese hormonelle Umstellung beginnt bereits vor der letzten Regelblutung und führt zu den sogenannten „Wechseljahresbeschwerden“.

For example, hot flashes and mood swings. But these are "just side effects," the whole body goes through a huge change, and this is mainly due to hormones. What exactly happens to the female body?

The decline in female sex hormones, particularly estradiol, which belongs to the estrogens, affects the entire body. For one thing, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases, but also osteoporosis: The decline in estrogen, which begins in the menopausal transition, marks the critical phase with a loss of bone matrix.

Women lose an average of 2.5 percent of their bone density in the lumbar spine area and 1.8 percent in the femoral neck per year during the three years around menopause. In addition, resting energy expenditure also decreases.

To counteract bone loss and prevent excessive weight gain, increased physical activity and, if necessary, adjustments in energy intake are necessary. In addition, body composition also changes.

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© Heart Rules

Women around menopause should shift up a gear when it comes to exercise, according to Dr. Sabrina Vollrath, an expert in women's physiology, specialist and senior physician for gynecology and obstetrics at Inselspital in Bern.

What exactly does that mean?

During the menopausal transition, the fat oxidation rate decreases significantly, while carbohydrate oxidation remains constant. This means: The body burns less fat for energy production. This can slow down overall fat burning and reduces the ability to break down fat reserves, especially if calorie intake remains constant.

Many women find that they gain weight, especially in the abdominal region, during menopause. What role does the changed hormonal balance play in this?

The decline in female sex hormones also affects fat metabolism and body fat distribution. As estrogen levels decrease, there may be increased accumulation of fat in the abdominal area. This increases the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. For this reason, it is particularly important for women to increase their physical activity during menopause.

Which sports are particularly suitable to support the body during this phase?

This cannot be answered in general terms. A holistic training concept is much more important. Regular, moderate endurance training, such as jogging, cycling, swimming, or hiking, strengthens the cardiovascular system and stimulates fat metabolism.

Interval training can also be helpful to normalize blood pressure. Additionally, strength training is crucial to maintain muscle and bone mass, which also boosts metabolism. In parallel, one should regularly work on coordination and flexibility. Yoga, Pilates, or dancing are particularly suitable here.

And how often should one train?

Basically, it doesn't matter whether a woman is pre- or post-menopausal – the motto remains: "Use it or lose it." Regular physical activity is crucial to maintain the positive effects of sports. Without it, the risk of weight gain and unfavorable metabolic changes that can harm health in the long term increases.

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Therefore, the WHO recommends being physically active for at least 30 minutes five times a week, regardless of menopause status. Of course, the training should always be tailored to the individual and their physical health. For women who are active in sports during menopause, it is also useful to ensure sufficient protein intake to support the maintenance of muscle and bone mass.

You mentioned earlier that the risk of osteoporosis increases during menopause. Would you recommend avoiding certain sports?

Women with normal or slightly reduced bone density can and should engage in all sports without restriction to minimize further bone loss and strengthen the bones. In cases of increased fracture risk, it is advisable to consult with the treating rheumatologist before starting training to develop a customized training program in collaboration with a sports therapist.

Besides a mix of different sports and regular training sessions, what do you consider the most important when it comes to sports during menopause?

Stick with it and follow a consistent training program. As the saying goes, "constant dripping wears away the stone." Especially women around menopause should step up their game in terms of sports to successfully counteract the sluggish metabolism caused by the drop in estrogen. This is the only way to maintain a stable body weight, which in turn is associated with health and well-being.

You are a former competitive athlete yourself and are pioneering in the field of women's health and sports. Why is this so important to you?

There are still many unanswered questions, especially regarding the interactions between hormones and athletic performance as well as pregnancy and training. I want to contribute to closing these knowledge gaps through education and scientific work to specifically support women in sports.

Do you want to learn about the perfect diet plan for menopause? Then read here !