Nutrition can play an important role in managing menopause symptoms.For many women, menopause brings unwanted side effects that can impact their physical health, mental health and quality of life. These bothersome symptoms can range from hot flashes and night sweats to mood changes, dry eyes and strange occurrences such as a burning tongue.
Entering menopause, women may benefit from adjusting their eating habits to better adapt to a new phase of life. Caroline Cohen, Ph.D., a clinical dietitian and assistant professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Family and Community Medicine, says nutrition can play an important role in managing menopause symptoms.
Managing symptoms through nutrition
“Nutrition is a key component to managing the changes associated with menopause,” Cohen said. “During the menopausal period, a healthier diet is associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. Nutrition is vital for maintaining healthy body composition.”
Proper nutrition can help women retain muscle mass in their older years and limit gaining fat that is often associated with menopause.
Bone health deteriorates after menopause because of a decrease in estrogen. Healthier dietary patterns, including taking in enough calcium, vitamin D, protein, phosphorus and magnesium, are important to maintaining bone mass.
“Calcium is primarily found in dairy foods such as milk, yogurt and cheese; but you can also get this mineral from plant foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, almonds, tofu and fortified plant milks,” Cohen said. “Vitamin D food sources are somewhat limited, which contributes to many Americans’ having vitamin D deficiency. Fatty fish such as salmon, rainbow trout and tuna contain high amounts, while egg yolks, mushrooms and fortified dairy or plant milks provide smaller amounts.”
According to Cohen, phosphorus is concentrated in protein-rich foods such as red meat, chicken, turkey, fish, nuts, beans and dairy products, while magnesium can be found in seeds, beans, dark green leafy vegetables, edamame, whole grains and dark chocolate.
There is some evidence that proper nutrition can serve as an intervention for vasomotor symptoms that accompany menopause, otherwise known as hot flashes and night sweats. Cohen says, along with a healthy diet, a consistent workout routine that includes aerobic and resistance exercise can help protect bone mineral density and benefit body composition.
Plant-based diets accompanied by 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day are associated with fewer complaints related to menopause. Cohen suggests implementing a habit of eating at least one meatless dinner per week. Consuming whole soy foods, such as edamame, tofu or tempeh, and other fiber sources such as beans or lentils can help to ensure adequate fiber intake.
Some foods, Cohen says, can make menopause symptoms worse. Caffeine can induce hot flashes and disrupt sleep. Alcohol is more difficult for the body to metabolize during menopause, increasing the risk of alcohol-related organ damage. Alcohol additionally disrupts sleep and increases blood sugar. Spicy foods can induce hot flashes.
Common myths about nutrition during menopause
A common misconception that Cohen encounters from patients is that menopause is “just a part of life.” “There are lifestyle interventions that can, at minimum, improve some of the adverse symptoms that patients experience during this phase of life,” Cohen said.
Many individuals believe they can combat menopause-related weight gain and redistribution only by continuously cutting calories and carbohydrates from their diet. Chronic undereating can instead damage metabolic health and make it more difficult for exercise and exercise recovery.
Cohen encounters hesitation from her patients around foods containing soy. She says many people suspect regular intake of soy can cause cancer or disrupt the thyroid.
“We actually have some evidence to support the idea that high soy intake from whole foods can protect women from breast cancer and help mitigate vasomotor symptoms.”
While some women turn to supplements for symptom relief, Cohen says evidence to support taking supplements remains limited.
“There is not an abundance of robust evidence supporting supplements for managing menopausal symptoms,” Cohen said. “Calcium and vitamin D are routinely recommended for bone health, and magnesium glycinate may be helpful for improving sleep.”
Meals and snacks that support menopause health
Cohen recommends the following examples of meals and snacks that focus on nutrient-dense components:
- Teriyaki salmon with air-fried kale chips, which provides vitamin D, calcium, magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids to support bone health, reduce inflammation and lower cardiovascular disease risk.
- Overnight oats prepared with plain Greek yogurt, chia seeds, frozen mixed berries, almonds and dark chocolate chips, which provide calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus and magnesium while supporting bone and gut health.
- Roasted edamame, which delivers phytoestrogens, fiber, protein and magnesium that may help with hot flashes while supporting bone health, gut health and muscle maintenance.
- Hummus with whole-wheat pita and vegetables, which provides fiber, magnesium and heart-healthy fats that promote gut, cardiovascular and bone health.
A combination of proper nutrition, physical activity, lifestyle interventions and help from a medical provider can make a meaningful difference in managing adverse symptoms from menopause.