Purely Menopause Blog

Ongoing research has identified a correlation between estrogen and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a vital protein in neuronal growth, development, and maintenance. BDNF plays a pivotal role in cognitive functions such as learning, memory, and mood regulation. The decline in BDNF levels during menopause has been suggested as a potential factor contributing to cognitive and mood issues in menopausal women.

In addition to its role in reproduction, estrogen plays a critical role in supporting joint health. Its decline during menopause can have profound effects on various aspects of joint function. Estrogen receptors are present in all musculoskeletal tissues including muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons. This post explores the profound effects of estrogen's decline during menopause on various aspects of joint function.

The menopausal journey introduces a myriad of challenges, and for many women, navigating gastrointestinal (GI) issues becomes an unfortunate aspect of the narrative. Constipation, characterized by fewer than three complete bowel movements per week, straining, and/or hard, small stools, often takes a prominent role.

I received a few questions about nutrition and exercise recently, which I attribute to our cultural custom of "New Year's resolutions." I picked a couple that are representative.

I received quite a few questions over the holidays so I thought I'd address a few of them in this post.

Osteoporosis is a chronic, progressive, and incurable disease requiring lifelong intervention. A study conducted in 2013-2014 revealed that 6.8% of women aged 50-59 already had osteoporosis, and 34.9% were diagnosed with osteoporosis by the age of 80. Although the impact of osteoporosis manifests in the form of fractures during older age, the most significant bone loss occurs during the menopause transition. Recognizing and addressing this menopausal transition bone loss is c

As the last post of 2023, I'm reposting the top viewed post of 2023. Anyone want to guess the topic? Yep, you got it. Menopausal weight gain!

As I mentioned in last week's blog, we will end the year by reposting the top posts of 2023. The 3rd most popular post was about GSM . Today, we switch to sex - the second most popular post was "Let's Talk About Sex & Menopause." Note that that post was the first of a three part series. Read the other 2 here and here .

You may not be surprised to learn that the most popular menopause subjects of 2023, as determined by blog post views, were weight, sex, the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), and alcohol. Please let me know if you have specific questions or topics that you'd like addressed in 2024.

Breast cancer treatments can lead to significant hormonal changes in the body, specifically a dramatic decrease in estrogen or estrogen effectiveness. Practically speaking, women undergoing breast cancer treatment can be launched into menopause nearly overnight. Most of the women will experience severe symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes, GSM, and others. In some cases, the menopause symptoms will abate once treatment has concluded. However, many breast cancer treatm

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about the supplement DIM. I wasn't enthusiatic about its use for menopause symptoms. This week, I'm going to talk about a supplement that shows some promise to help with the sleep disturbances of menopause - L-theanine (Be aware that L-t hreo nine is a completely different molecule - don't confuse them!)

Most of my blog posts have talked about menopause that occurs naturally in women over 45. But some women experience menopause earlier in life and shouldn't be left out of the conversation. About 5% of women experience menopause between ages 40-45, and they are said to have "early menopause." Another 1% of women are diagnosed with "primary ovarian insufficiency (POI)" before they are 40 years old. Women of any age can have a surgically-induced menopause. (If they are younger t

I've had a few questions lately from patients about using specific supplements for menopause symptoms. I wrote a blog post on supplements a few months ago, but there are always new marketing claims for new and old supplements so I will talk intermittently about ones that my patients are bringing to my attention.

Hype around new weight loss drugs (glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists) is soaring. And who wouldn't be interested in a drug that can reduce body weight by 20% and curb hunger? Some experts see these drugs as the holy grail, but others are advising caution. So, are these drugs the right for you?

Although menopausal women no longer need to worry about unwanted pregnancy, the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remains. STIs are infections spread by sexual activity, especially vaginal intercourse, anal sex, genital touching, oral sex, or manual sex. STIs are caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. The eight most common STIs include four curable infections (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and trichomonas) and four that are treatable but incurable (hepatiti

During menopause, many women experience a range of gastrointestinal (GI) issues, including bloating, gas, acid reflux, constipation, and diarrhea. Some of the GI symptoms can be explained by aging, but some are clearly linked to the the menopausal decrease in estrogen and progesterone. The presence of estrogen receptors throughout the gut and progesterone receptors in the colon point to a direct effect of sex hormones on digestion and absorption. In addition, estrogen and pr

Menopause is a stressful time in a woman's life. Changes in sex hormones can evoke a myriad of troublesome, life-altering symptoms like depression, hot flashes, headaches, sleep disruption, brain fog, gastrointestinal issues, and loss of libido. At the same time, a woman has the most responsibility she's ever had at work, has children leaving home, and often is responsible for elderly parents. In response to this onslaught of physical and emotional turmoil, some women increas

Menopause marks the end of ovulation, which is the stage of the menstrual cycle when a mature egg is released from the ovary. Every egg that a woman will have in her lifetime is made during fetal development. Once mature eggs cease to be released - that is, the follicles no longer function in a normal fashion, the menstrual cycle stops. We refer to the day 12 months after your final period as menopause.

Menopause and exercise performance are closely linked, yet many women are surprised by how dramatically their training begins to feel harder during perimenopause and menopause. Women who once led group rides, sprinted with ease, or powered up climbs may suddenly find themselves struggling — despite consistent training. The instinct to push harder is understandable, but it’s rarely the right solution. How menopause affects exercise performance The physiological changes of meno

Last week, we talked about the genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), a chronic, progressive condition of the vulva, vagina, and lower urinary tract that begins during menopause and continues throughout a woman's life. GSM can impact negatively multiple aspects of a woman's life but today, we will talk about how GSM and other genital concerns of menopausal women can complicate exercise, particularly cycling.