During menopause, bloating is usually not a problem. Researchers have studied many different symptoms that are often associated with menopause, with bloating most commonly associated with PMS and most often occurring during premenopause or perimenopause. Numerous efforts have been made to stop or reverse the effects of menopause, with little success.
Despite the claims of bioidentical hormone users and promoters, this therapy does not reverse menopause. Menopause is a natural part of a woman’s life. Many experts believe that a woman’s attitude toward aging significantly affects the number of symptoms she has. Others claim that it is strictly hormonal and that this attitude has nothing to do with it, but they cannot explain why many menopausal symptoms respond to placebo.
According to surveys, the most common symptoms associated with menopause are hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. In women who had not been using hormone replacement therapy, the most common reason for seeking treatment and starting hormones was to relieve these symptoms. About 50% of all women experience hot flashes during menopause or the years after menopause. About 10% of all women have them for three or more years before menopause. Unlike other symptoms of menopause, no one is sure what causes hot flashes or night sweats.
Vaginal dryness is directly related to decreased estrogen production. Dryness and decreased elasticity of the skin are also associated with decreased estrogen levels. These symptoms usually respond well to creams that contain estrogen or a combination of ingredients. There are several moisturizing lubricants specifically designed to reverse the vaginal dryness of menopause. Some research has been done on the effectiveness of red clover, which contains a plant estrogen, in relieving dry skin and improving skin elasticity.
About 3% of all women surveyed in recent menopause research experience a weight gain of 3 pounds or more during menopause. This is a small percentage and is not believed to be directly related to changes in hormone levels. A person’s caloric needs change as part of the aging process. Those people who continue to eat on the same diet in their 40s and 50s that they used in their 20s and 30s are likely to gain weight.
Estrogen has an effect on intestinal motility and when menopausal bloating is a problem, it may be related to constipation. Increased fiber in the diet should relieve or reverse menopausal bloating. Dietary supplements that contain estrogen-like plant components may also be helpful.