Mike recommended checking the label of oat ‘milk’ before making a swap (Image: fcafotodigital via Getty Images)
With October representing Menopause Awareness Month, an expert suggests nutrition warrants greater attention. Approximately half of women over 50 are projected to suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture at some point in their lifetime, while shifting nutritional requirements during menopause can also impact muscle and overall health.
Mike Wakeman, researcher, pharmacist and the brains behind Evera Nutrition, said: “Nutrition can become particularly important in the years approaching the menopause because menopause isn’t simply about hot flushes. Falling oestrogen affects bone, while ageing brings changes to cardiometabolic health, muscle and often body shape.
“Yet what often appear to be healthy eating habits can still leave nutritional gaps. From swapping dairy for plant-based alternatives to cutting calories, there are some surprisingly easy things to overlook.”
Replacing dairy with oat ‘milk’ without checking the label
Mike said: “Plant ‘milk’ can look like a straightforward healthy swap, but many alternatives are calcium-fortified but not necessarily iodine-fortified. Iodine is needed for normal thyroid hormone production and cognitive function. UK data has previously found 15% of adult women had intakes below the Lower Reference Nutrient Intake. So read the label and make sure to choose an alternative fortified with both calcium and iodine, or make sure iodine comes from foods such as fish, eggs and dairy.”
Mike also recommended more fruit (Image: imageBROKER/DMITRI MARUTA via Getty Images)
Forgetting calcium and vitamin D
Mike said: “The decline in oestrogen around menopause accelerates bone loss. Calcium provides structural material, while vitamin D contributes to normal calcium absorption and bone health. Include calcium-rich dairy, fortified alternatives, tofu and leafy greens, alongside vitamin D. UK guidance advises adults to consider a daily 10mcg vitamin D supplement during autumn and winter.”
Missing the extra benefits of soy
Mike said: “Soy foods such as tofu, edamame, and soya beans provide protein, but they also contain isoflavones – plant compounds known as phytoestrogens because they can interact with oestrogen receptors. One analysis of 17 clinical trials found soy isoflavones reduced hot-flush severity by around 26% and frequency by around 21% compared with placebo.
“If you don’t like the taste or texture of foods such as tofu – or simply don’t eat them often enough, try a supplement like Evera Nutrition Women’s Balance, which combines soy with other phytoestrogens from red clover, plus botanicals including ashwagandha, rhodiola and shatavari, and vitamins and minerals including vitamin B6, vitamin D and magnesium. Vitamin B6 contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity, so the formulation takes a broader approach rather than relying on a single ingredient.”
More protein was also advised (Image: ProPhotoFactory via Getty Images)
Failing to consume sufficient protein
Mike said: “Muscle isn’t just about looking toned. It supports mobility, strength, metabolism, and ultimately independence. Evidence suggests lean mass falls across the menopausal transition, and in addition the response to protein and exercise may become less efficient in muscle with age. It therefore makes sense to include sources such as eggs, fish, poultry, yoghurt, tofu, beans or lentils across all meals, and combine adequate protein intake with resistance exercise.”
Slashing calories too drastically
Mike said: “Midlife weight gain can encourage people to consider increasingly restrictive diets. But simply eating less can also mean consuming less protein, magnesium, calcium, and other micronutrients. So, think more about the nutrient density of foods instead of eating less. Choose more vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, pulses, nuts, seeds, fish and quality protein. Mediterranean-style eating has been associated with improvements in several cardiovascular risk factors in menopausal women.”
Searching for a single menopause superfood
Mike said: “Sleep, mood, muscle, metabolic and bone health don’t exist in separate boxes. They are all inter-related. That’s why a varied diet beats hunting for one fashionable ‘menopause superfood’. Because menopause changes several interconnected biological systems at the same time, it’s important to make protein, plenty of plant foods, healthy fats, wholegrains and a wide spread of micronutrients a foundation of your diet.”
