Coming soon 45: what to expect?

Every woman dreams of being forever young. Of course, as soon as it comes to age and menopause, we can, like Scarlett O’Hara, “think about it tomorrow,” but sooner or later it will become impossible to delay. Moreover, statistics show that in recent years menopause has been “in a hurry” – more and more often women who have barely reached 45 years of age face it. By the way, menopause is also dangerous for men. We propose to deal with this delicate topic and calmly think about the future.

Menopause, menopause or menopause is a natural period when the female reproductive system works less and less actively and, finally, stops its activity. What does it mean? The activity of the ovaries fades away, the eggs stop maturing, and the uterus stops preparing for the attachment of the fetus. As a result, the synthesis of female hormones – estrogens – gradually decreases. Simply put, a woman after menopause will no longer be able to conceive, bear and give birth to a child. But a modern woman is not only a mother. She has work, career, hobbies and friends in her life, and all this will not disappear with the advent of menopause. So that the manifestations of menopause do not interfere with a full life, it is worth keeping a “weapon” ready against them.

The girl is usually warned about the existence of critical days by her mother, but who will warn the woman about the approaching menopause? Only an organism! The main thing is to hear it in time. It all starts with the fact that with age, the level of estrogen gradually decreases, and since it is these hormones that regulate the emotional background, energy production, calcium absorption and many other processes, their reduction leads to noticeable or barely perceptible symptoms. For example, sudden mood swings, unreasonable sadness and tears for any reason, increased fatigue, night sweats, decreased desire, cystitis and vaginal discomfort are indispensable companions of estrogen deficiency. Bad mood, lack of interest in favorite activities also have biochemical reasons. The stage of menopause is indicated by an unpredictable cycle and, finally, the cessation of menstruation.

It is impossible not to say about another well-known sign of menopause – often women get hot. Some take this phenomenon for a cold, others blame everything on the poor performance of the air conditioner, closed windows and begin to actively ventilate the room, despite the protests of colleagues or relatives. Sometimes redness of the cheeks, skin of the neck and chest, palpitations are added to the heat, and the woman rushes for pills that reduce blood pressure, or makes an appointment with a cardiologist. Impaired thermoregulation is one of the main symptoms of menopause, and the sensation of heat is called “hot flush”. Hot flashes last no more than three minutes, but during this time they can become a real problem, especially if they fall on working hours or an important event.

And finally, another companion of menopause is constant appetite and, as a result, weight gain. Sometimes you can come across the opinion that an indomitable craving for sweets is a psychological defense against hard thoughts, and you need to switch your thoughts to other activities in order to cope with this problem. However, this is not always the case. The fact is that adipose tissue also synthesizes estrogens, so the body tends to build up more fat in order to get the missing hormones.

Of course, first of all, you need to give the body what it needs so much – estrogens. The most common solution is hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Today there are several schemes for taking hormones, but only a gynecologist can prescribe them, based on the test results. However, hormone therapy has side effects: impaired liver and kidney function, deterioration of blood vessels, proliferation of the endometrium, and an increased risk of neoplasms and thromboembolism. In addition, hormone therapy has contraindications: diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease), excess weight, problems with blood clotting. Each woman decides for herself – to agree to these side effects or choose an alternative path. The second option is the phytoestrogens found in soybeans, clover and other plants. In structure, they are similar to estrogens, therefore, entering the body, they partially fulfill their function. But since they are not hormones, they have no side effects. Folic acid in high dosages also helps maintain estrogens at a high level.

In addition to estrogens, beta-alanine is worth paying attention to. A natural amino acid is responsible for thermoregulation, so taking this trace element protects against hot flashes. Entering the body, beta-alanine begins to act within 30 minutes after ingestion. 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) will help to normalize the emotional background and restore sleep cycles during menopause. By the way, it also suppresses the feeling of hunger and will be useful for those who do not want to gain extra pounds.