Changes in body composition at menopause—age, lifestyle or hormone deficiency?

Abstract

One of the major concerns of perimenopausal women is obesity—and for a good reason. Both general and abdominal obesity as well as loss of skeletal muscle (sarcopenia) are accelerated through the menopausal transition and lifestyle changes as well as sex hormone deficiency play important roles. Most well conducted clinical trials have demonstrated hormone replacement therapy induced reversal or at least impairment of menopausal changes in body composition and the common worry that it causes weight gain is unsubstantiated. Coaching of weight loss in obese individuals is often a frustrating task but is nevertheless of immense importance because of the health hazards of obesity. Through the climacteric period, short-term hormone replacement therapy, with or without androgens for preservation of muscle mass, might inhibit obesity and this is likely to boost motivation for introduction of more comprehensive and long-lasting initiatives linked to persistent weight loss and long-term health benefit.