You don’t have to go far on social media when you’re a perimenopausal woman to find yourself bombarded with posts about “cures” for weight gain in menopause. Click on a link and you might find yourself filling in a quiz about your menopause symptoms, which might then go on to “diagnose” you – and then of course offer you a solution to all your woes.
One I saw recently did just that – I was told I was a “Type 1” hormone profile. The email then went on to advise that all my problems are likely down to my gut bacteria and – wouldn’t you know it – they can be solved by spending just US$49 per bottle for a one-month supply of their special formula of probiotics.
This kind of shit makes me so mad. I’ve worked in the nutrition and food media for over 20 years, and if there’s one thing that’s a constant in that game, it’s companies making big bucks by exploiting women when they’re at their most vulnerable. The information in that email appears to be completely unproven, even though it sounds science-y. There are no hormone “types”. (And just by the by, I really don’t need to be told this by an outfit headed by a man.)
What these companies are doing is poking at one of the biggest (pun intended) issues for women around perimenopause and menopause, probably the main one after flushes and mood issues: weight gain. Especially around the middle.
There’s a bit to unpack here, so let’s get into it. What is clear is that weight gain at this time of life is extremely common. Even if we don’t gain weight, there’s a redistribution; a shift to more fat around the trunk and waist. We tend to feel
