Other blogs on this website that discuss insulin insensitivity:

Berberine & Insulin Sensitivity

Insulin Insensitivity, Weight Gain & More

Africa, Insulin Sensitivity & Meal Timing

 

In our blog Insulin Insensitivity, Weight Gain & More we discuss the everything insulin –

• what it is & how it’s supposed to work in the body
• what happens when it doesn’t work as it should
• the causes & symptoms
• strategies to tackle it

 

One of the factors behind insulin insensitivity is menopause.

This is one that I’ve been directly impacted by, as have many clients I’ve worked with over the years. It is real and it sucks!

There is substantial evidence supporting the link between reduced estrogen levels and decreased insulin sensitivity. This relationship is supported by several studies highlighting the role of estrogen in glucose metabolism:

 

• Diabetes Journal Study: This study demonstrates a clear link between estrogen deficiency and metabolic dysfunction, indicating that the reduction of estrogen in postmenopausal women accelerates the development of insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Estrogen replacement therapy has shown potential benefits in improving insulin sensitivity.
  • Read the study

 

• American Journal of Pathology: Discusses the role of estrogen in maintaining insulin sensitivity and its protective effect against insulin resistance. It highlights how estrogen influences the metabolic processes that regulate glucose and fat metabolism.
  • Explore the findings

 

• ScienceDaily: Reviews clinical and animal studies showing a strong correlation between estrogen deficiency and metabolic dysfunction. It notes that premenopausal women typically exhibit enhanced insulin sensitivity, which declines with reduced estrogen levels during menopause.
  • View the article

 

• Estrogen Receptor Activity: Studies have shown that estrogen receptor-α (ERα) is involved in the regulation of glucose metabolism. Activation of ERα by estrogen improves insulin sensitivity, whereas deficiency or dysfunction in this receptor can lead to impaired glucose homeostasis.
• • Diabetes Journals

 

• Medical News Today & Menopause.org: Discusses how hormone therapy can improve insulin sensitivity in menopausal women, citing a meta-analysis of 17 randomized, controlled trials. This suggests that hormone replacement therapy might help mitigate the decline in insulin sensitivity associated with lower estrogen levels.
  • Read more here
  • Menopause.org

 

These findings collectively underscore the importance of estrogen in maintaining insulin sensitivity. The decline in estrogen levels during menopause can disrupt this balance, potentially leading to increased insulin resistance, a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and reduced metabolic health.

 

In case you’re wondering [like I was]…

Vindicated!  Yes, there is evidence that low estrogen is the cause of your weight gain!  And it’s comforting to know that estrogen replacement can prevent or reduce further incidence of menopause related insulin insensitivity and subsequent weight gain. But I wondered…

Is there any research or information available about whether or not estrogen replacement therapy can help lose the weight you’ve already gained?

 

That is, can it – or any other strategies discussed on our blog Insulin Insensitivity, Weight Gain & More – help your body tackle that unwanted weight gain that occurred whilst you were in the peri-menopausal stage and your body started to change, specifically gaining weight as a result of the then-unknown insulin insensitivity that was occurring?

Those answers are not as clear. It makes sense that when you improve the way insulin works in your body, and therefore your body’s ability to regular appetite and fat storage, you might shed some weight.  But how much?  Could it be all of what you may have already gained?  Research just hasn’t been able to suggest that.

I can tell you that for me personally – although estrogen replacement therapy did stop my uncontrollable weight gain, it did NOT magically make the pounds that I’d already gained fall off me either ☹️

It was continued (and more diligent) nutrition strategies, strength training, and a little supplement help that finally got the needle moving for me.

I’s still a work in progress.  But I do have some tricks up my sleeve now!

If you’d like to connect one-on-one and strategize together to improve your health status or tackle your weight loss goals, reach out anytime to me!   It took me a long time to identify and tackle my menopausal weight gain, so I understand your frustration 😊