Why Do You Gain Weight During Menopause?
Menopause causes a number of metabolic changes in women that make losing weight during that time very difficult. The most significant change is that your hormone levels shift, which affects many functions within your body. Also, postmenopausal women have a lower resting metabolic rate compared to women who have not reached this time of transition, and they spend less time exercising or engaging in physical activity, which causes them to lose muscle and gain abdominal fat.
Many women lose their waist, and their formerly “pear-shaped” figure begins to resemble an apple. This weight gain happens because your body stops making as much estrogen, which changes the way your body stores fat. These changes in fat distribution are not only aesthetically displeasing, but they are also dangerous because abdominal fat increases your risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Semaglutide can help boost your metabolism and enhance how your digestive system works, so you burn calories more efficiently and can better manage your weight as you grow older.
How Semaglutide Works
Semaglutide is a medication that is categorized as a GLP-1 receptor agonist, which means it copies a natural hormone your body makes after eating. GLP-1 drugs like semaglutide signal to your brain that you are full and help reduce your appetite, so you get full faster. It also slows down how fast your stomach empties and helps your body convert calories to energy more efficiently.
Many women report that they no longer have to deal with constant “food noise” or cravings, which makes it easier for them to stick to a healthy diet and not snack between meals. Semaglutide is usually taken through a weekly injection that is given in the upper arm, thigh, or abdomen and is the active ingredient in the name-brand medications Ozempic and Wegovy.
Semaglutide and Perimenopause
Perimenopause is the term that is used to describe the years that lead up to menopause, which can range anywhere from five to ten years. During perimenopause, women begin to experience some of the classic symptoms of menopause, which can include irregular periods, mood swings, sleep issues, hot flashes, and weight gain.
Semaglutide can help with weight management by improving insulin sensitivity and reducing food cravings or emotional eating. Women using semaglutide during perimenopause often find that their energy levels are normal and their moods are stable. Some research has indicated that losing weight may reduce the severity of hot flashes and night sweats for some women.
Can You Take Semaglutide During Menopause?
Yes, semaglutide is safe to use, and most women who have tried it find it very effective during menopause to help them control their weight. Clinical trials included postmenopausal women who experienced significant weight loss results similar to their premenopausal counterparts.
Also, a Mayo Clinic study that was published in 2024 found that women using only semaglutide achieved significant weight loss over a 12-month timeframe, but those who combined semaglutide with hormone replacement therapy saw even better results and lost about 30% more weight. The women who were also on HRT lost an average of 16% of their body weight vs. women who lost about 12% of their body weight with just semaglutide.
Taking semaglutide during menopause not only helps women combat weight gain, but it also helps improve insulin sensitivity and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease, which normally increases after menopause.
How Do I Know If Semaglutide Will Help Me During Menopause?
Semaglutide may not be the best option for everyone, and the experts at MySlimMed can help determine if it is a suitable option for you and your circumstances.
Women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the near future should not use semaglutide, and anyone with a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or some certain other medical conditions is not a good candidate for semaglutide.
Dr. Angelina Postoev with MySlimMed can evaluate your medical history and your current health status and determine if a GLP-1 medication like semaglutide can help you with menopause weight gain. She is also an expert in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, so she can help get your hormones in balance as well as optimize your metabolism. The combination of both can help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce the severity of unpleasant symptoms of menopause.
What Can I Do To Maximize My Semaglutide Results?
Semaglutide works best when it is used as part of a complete weight loss plan. Some of the things you can do to enhance your semaglutide results include:
- Eating a healthy, low-calorie diet that is high in protein and nutrition, including whole foods, vegetables, and fruits, while avoiding processed foods and choices that are full of sugar.
- Get plenty of exercise that is a blend of cardio and resistance training to help burn calories and preserve muscle mass. The more muscle your body contains, the more calories you burn even when you are resting.
- Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night.
- Stay properly hydrated.
- Find effective ways to reduce and manage your stress levels.
MySlimMed Can Help You Maintain Control Of Your Weight
It is important to work with a professional when attempting to lose weight with semaglutide. Partnering with a weight loss expert like Dr. Angelina and the knowledgeable team at MySlimMed can help you lose weight safely and maintain your results.
Rapid weight loss can lead to muscle and bone loss if your journey is not managed properly, which is even more important for menopausal women who are already at an increased risk of both. Working with an expert doctor can help ensure you have the tools, strategies, knowledge, and support you need to reach your goals. Set up a consultation today with MySlimMed to learn more about semaglutide, hormone replacement therapy, and find out if one or both would be a good fit for you.
FAQs About Semaglutide And Menopause
Does Semaglutide Mess with Estrogen?
Semaglutide does not directly alter your body’s production of estrogen or the estrogen hormone itself. It works through your GLP-1 receptors to regulate your appetite and blood sugar levels and influence the way your digestive system functions, but it can indirectly influence your estrogen levels through weight loss. Fat stores and produces estrogen, so as your amount of body fat decreases, your estrogen levels may also slightly decrease.
Normally, this does not cause too much of an estrogen decline, and the benefits outshine the slight estrogen drop. Semaglutide is also safe to use alongside hormone replacement therapy as long as your therapy and progress are monitored by a qualified doctor like Dr. Angelina Postoev at MySlimMed.
Are Weight Loss Injections Good for Menopause?
Semaglutide weight loss injections can be a great solution to help with controlling weight gain during menopause. The hormonal changes that take place during menopause often make losing weight through diet and lifestyle changes alone almost impossible. Semaglutide can tackle the challenges that come with the slower metabolism that often occurs when your hormone production begins to decline.
Clinical trials showed that most women lost at least 5% of their total body weight within three months of starting semaglutide treatments, and most lost between 10 and 15% of their total body weight in about 15 months.
When first starting semaglutide treatments, most people experience mild stomach discomfort that might include nausea, vomiting, constipation, and sometimes diarrhea, but these side effects normally subside on their own as your body becomes used to the medication.
Does Ozempic Get Rid of Menopause Belly Fat?
Yes, Ozempic, which is the prescription drug semaglutide, can help get rid of abdominal fat. Semaglutide can help to get rid of menopause belly fat, which is the dangerous type of fat that accumulates around the organs in your abdomen known as visceral fat. This type of fat accumulation is one of the most frustrating side effects of menopause, but research has shown us that semaglutide can help reduce abdominal fat in menopausal women and help slim down the waistline and improve their body composition.
Semaglutide also improves the way your body processes the calories you eat and helps burn them for energy rather than store them as fat. It also helps regulate your blood sugar levels, which controls whether excess glucose is converted into stored fat.
Hormone replacement therapy can help eliminate about 60% of the visceral fat that accumulates when your estrogen levels become very low, and adding semaglutide to the mix can lead to even greater fat loss.
