Perimenopause can be a stressful period of adjustment for women as their rhythmic flow of oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels starts to fluctuate before periods stop altogether.
You have several routes to take to alleviate symptoms which include perimenopause supplements, hormone replacement therapy plus diet and lifestyle tweaks. Let’s take a look at the common symptoms and what you can do!
What happens in perimenopause?
During perimenopause there is a slow down in egg production and ovarian function. Progesterone is usually the first hormone to start waning and affects a woman’s psychological function. This includes how she use her senses, feelings, intuition and thinking to interpret everyday life.
Symptoms include low mood and erratic moods, loss of confidence, anxiety and heightened PMS. Uncontrollable rage for no good reason? Yeah thats progesterone related.
What are perimenopause supplements?
Perimenopause supplements help to reduce perimenopause symptoms experienced when hormone levels fall. They can include herbal remedies, meal replacement shakes for women over 40, active botanicals or essential vitamins and minerals or a mix!
What to look for in a perimenopause supplement
It’s best tool for a perimenopause supplement or shake which has a combination of the core vitamins and minerals to support overall health. Vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin B6 and Iron, work together to support the body and a supplement which is based on an individual nutrient can tip your body’s balance and work against other nutrients, blocking absorption.
Unless you’re under medical supervision, a balanced supplement is the way forward. Many reputable brands have conducted extensive research to ensure their supplements effectively support women during perimenopause.
Read the supplement labels and do not exceed recommended daily intake. Too much of a good thing can have adverse affects. If you’re on any medication for health you need to take advice from your doctor. Herbal supplements and active botanicals can be quite powerful and interfere with medication.
Herbal supplements for perimenopause symptoms
The most common herb based supplements for perimenopause include
- Red Clover - contains isoflavones which are natural plant compounds similar to the hormone oestrogen.
- Ginkgo Biloba - known for its cognitive support including helping to deliver more oxygen to the brain.
- Siberian Ginseng - supports mental and physical energy, and the immune system.
- Ashwagandha KSM66 associated with stress and anxiety reduction, improved sleep, alleviation of hot flashes and night sweats
- Evening Primrose Oil - contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and can contribute to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
- Sage - potential health benefits of sage include protecting the body's cells, decreasing neurodegenerative disease and cognitive dysfunction
- St Johns Wort- associated with relief of low mood and mild anxiety.
Eve Biology Meal Replacement for Perimenopause Symptoms
The most common symptoms of perimenopause include impaired cognitive function and missed or heavier periods. Hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause can lead to anxiety and depression. As perimenopause progresses sleep problems, weight gain, fatigue, joint pain and headaches can emerge.
Eve Biology meal replacements are formulated to target common symptoms associated with perimenopause, increase gut health and control weight. Let's take a closer look at exactly how.
How Eve Biology Targets Fatigue
Periods can become erratic during perimenopause. Women can experience lighter periods, missed periods, bleeding between periods.
They can also experience very heavy periods and prolonged bleeding which, unless iron levels are monitored, can result in anaemia and fatigue. Menstruating women need at least 14.8mg from iron per day.
- Eve Biology shakes deliver 11.1mg of iron per shake. You should be able to get most of this from a healthy diet. Iron comes from both animal based foods such as red meat, fish and eggs and plant based foods like spinach, kale, beans and pulses.
How Eve Biology Targets Stress & Anxiety
Oestrogen stimulates mood-boosting serotonin and feel-good endorphins, but hormonal fluctuations can contribute to low mood and frequent mood changes. When progesterone drops, cortisol and adrenaline are released, which bring with it anxiety and irritability. This can lead to more severe PMT during perimenopause.
Stress depletes B vitamins, Vitamin C, Zinc and Magnesium so a multi-vitamin based supplement can help. Managing hormonal fluctuations with the right supplements can help stabilise mood and reduce stress.
- Herbal adaptogens like Ashwagandha KSM66 can help to lower the stress response. Eve features 165mg per serving as well as a potent multivitamin complex including brain boosting b vitamins, zinc, Vitamin C and magnesium support brain function and mood.
How Eve Biology Supports Better Sleep
Sleep issues affect around 50% of women in perimenopause and menopause. Oestrogen and progesterone are involved in sleep as are other hormones such as cortisol and melatonin. Sleep plays a crucial role in overall health, allowing the body and brain to relax and repair.
Oestrogen helps to support REM sleep which is key to memory and learning, helps you to fall asleep faster and keeps you asleep longer. It helps to regulate body temperature when you're asleep and serotonin which is your feel good hormone.
Progesterone is a natural sedative and stimulates GABA ( gamma-aminobutyric acid) which helps the body and brain to relax and regulates breathing patterns.
Melatonin, known as the sleep hormone, drops as we with age but significantly during menopause. Cortisol, a stress hormone, can be stimulated by night sweats and increases at night causing unrest and anxiety.
- Each shake delivers 116.5mg of magnesium to help lower blood pressure and relax muscles. Ashwagandha helps to lower cortisol levels and targets night sweats which can disrupt sleep. Eve's prebiotic fibre helps to balance blood sugar which keeps cortisol levels in check to aid sleep.
How Eve Biology Supports Cognitive Health
Cognitive health is affected in perimenopause and menopause as oestrogen and testosterone levels fall which can affect memory and focus, you may notice you're losing words and find it difficult to keep your train of thought, otherwise known as brain fog.
The brain needs amino acids to produce neurotransmitters which support brain function. Vitamin B1, B3, B12 and Folate support memory and concentration. Choline is a nutrient related to B vitamins which supports the communication processes in the brain. It is found in eggs and shellfish.
- Rich in B Vitamins B1, B2, B6 and B12 as well as natural adaptogen Ginko Biloba which is known for its cognitive benefits based on affecting blood vessels and helping to deliver more oxygen to the brain.
- Research at Kings College London has shown that taking inulin and FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) plant fibre supplements improved the brain function of over 60 year olds in just 12 weeks. Eve Biology contains an FOS prebiotic fibre and inulin.
Weight Gain In Perimenopause
While weight gain isn't a symptom of perimenopause, an increase in weight can be attributed to the symptoms caused by the drop in hormone levels.
Fatigue and sleep disruption can make it difficult to become motivated to exercise. Fat storage changes midlife as well as body composition. You carry less lean muscle which can affect how many calories you burn.
How Eve Biology Supports Weight Loss
Eve Biology has been formulated to meet the stringent criteria of the European Food Safety Authority. Meal Replacements For Weight Control have been scientifically evaluated and found to support weight loss and weight maintenance when used as part of a balanced diet.
Each shake gives you everything you need so you can safely miss a meal and has just 209 calories. Try the 4 week weight loss plan.
Regular exercise needs to feature
NICE guidelines are recommending your waist circumference should be less than half of your height. Being overweight is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease.
The NHS recommends the MINIMUM exercise you need to be doing each week, spread over 4 or 5 days is 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week OR 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.
How Eve Biology Supports Energy Levels
Fatigue, lethargy and low energy happens because your body's attempt to manage the fluctuations in hormones can be quite draining. Paired with sleep deprivation the result is you can feel super tired.
Fatigue manifests as feelings of weakness, energy dips, apathy, reduced memory, irritability and lack of stamina.
- Contains essential B Vitamins including Thiamin (B1) which is crucial for turning carbs into energy, Niacin ( B3) which transforms food into energy and Vitamin B6 which helps the body to access and use energy derived from food and stored.
- Prebiotic Fibre - increases gut microbiome from just 2.5g per day. If you have a healthy gut the better you'll be at getting the most energy from your food. Each shake delivers 5.3g.
How Eve Biology Targets Hot flashes and night sweats
Lower levels of oestrogen causes problems all over the body including the brain. The hypothalamus is your internal thermometer and helps to regulate body temperature.
You can become a lot more sensitive to slight changes in temperature. This prompts your blood vessels to dilate to release the excess heat from the body, triggering the characteristic heat in the chest, face and neck.
- In Eve Biology consumer tests, 69% of women replacing breakfast and lunch with a shake 5 days a week reported a reduction in night sweats and hot flashes.
How Eve Biology Supports Bone Health
Calcium and Vitamin D are the dynamic duo when it comes to keeping bones strong. You need optimum levels of Vitamin D in order to absorb calcium. Supplementation of vitamin D is recommended in winter as you can't get enough from food. In summer you can create your own vitamin D from sunlight. Magnesium is also good for relieving joint stiffness.
Eve biology shakes contain everything you need to support bone health - Vitamin D, Calcium and Magnesium to maximise absorption. See the full list of ingredients here.
Article Summary
There is no doubt that perimenopause can be a very challenging period for a lot of women. Weight gain is common which can increase your risk of chronic disease, bone health and cognitive health can deteriorate. A healthy diet and regular exercise can play a big part in helping to relieve symptoms.
If you know your diet needs to be better you can use specialised nutritional products or vitamins to supplement your needs. Consider using products which have a range of nutrients which can work together to support symptoms.
Consult with your doctor before taking higher doses of specific vitamins or herbs as they can have an adverse effect on medication and nutrition absorption.
