Making sense of menopause, together.
- Connect with women who get it
- Get expert-reviewed resources
- Learn from real women's experiences
Powered By
Continue with Facebook
Continue with Email
Your body relies on the hormone estrogen for a multitude of functions, which becomes extra apparent during perimenopause (the period leading up to menopause when estrogen levels are unstable) and menopause (when estrogen levels fall significantly).
One of the many effects of the loss of estrogen is low-grade chronic inflammation, which can cause or intensify symptoms in different parts of your body, such as the:
With so much happening in your body during the transition to menopause, it can be helpful to understand what chronic inflammation is and how it affects your health.
When you think of inflammation, you might think of the acute or short-term type, which causes skin discoloration, warmth, and swelling around wounds or injuries and is usually associated with pain. Inflammation is part of your body’s immune system response to help with healing. The immune system is your body’s built-in protection against infections and illness.
Chronic inflammation is similar. It involves the same immune cells and chemicals. But instead of being a temporary part of the healing process, chronic inflammation is ongoing and usually lasts months and even years.
While acute inflammation serves a clear protective or healing purpose, long-term inflammation can be harmful to your health. It’s associated with a wide range of chronic health conditions, including:
During menopause, your estrogen levels drop as your ovaries gradually stop producing the hormone. Falling estrogen levels can trigger chronic inflammation because estrogen is anti-inflammatory. This means it usually helps prevent chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation, both on its own and alongside hormonal fluctuations, can cause a wide variety of issues throughout your body during perimenopause and menopause.
It’s important to note that new symptoms or conditions in perimenopause or menopause can have other explanations — they may not necessarily be linked to menopause or menopause-related chronic inflammation. Always talk with a healthcare provider about changes in your health and wellness.
Below are just a few examples of how chronic inflammation can affect your body in menopause.
While hot flashes in perimenopause and menopause are mainly linked to hormonal fluctuations, studies show that women with severe hot flashes in menopause tend to have higher levels of the inflammatory chemicals that signal chronic inflammation.
Chronic inflammation during menopause can affect your digestive tract and cause a range of gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea or bloating. If you already have irritable bowel syndrome, chronic inflammation can make it worse. It can also lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux, which often involves heartburn.
Chronic inflammation triggered by the loss of estrogen may lead to joint problems, including joint pain and stiffness. If you already have osteoarthritis or another condition affecting your joints, chronic inflammation in menopause may worsen your symptoms. Some research suggests that roughly half of menopausal women experience joint pain.
Chronic inflammation may be linked to osteoporosis, a condition that causes your bones to become more brittle and more likely to break. Because estrogen protects against bone thinning, osteopenia and osteoporosis are more common in menopausal women than in younger women due to menopause-related falling estrogen levels.
Studies show that women with osteoporosis have increased levels of inflammatory chemicals in their bone marrow. Other research indicates that these inflammatory chemicals actually cause the breakdown of bone, increasing women’s risk of bone thinning.
Chronic inflammation can affect your central nervous system (CNS), which includes your brain and spinal cord. Normally, estrogen protects your CNS from damage that can occur from too much inflammation.
When inflammation damages the CNS, it can contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Research findings have been conflicting as to whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT), also called menopause hormone therapy, with estrogen reduces or increases women’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
At first, it can be easy to mistake signs of neurodegenerative diseases for typical menopause-related brain fog. However, you should tell your doctor immediately if you:
Chronic inflammation can cause you to gain or lose weight unintentionally because it can change your metabolism. Menopause is already associated with weight gain, and simultaneous chronic inflammation may make it even harder to maintain a healthy weight.
With so many health risks linked to chronic inflammation, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed or like your well-being is outside of your control. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce chronic inflammation and lower the health risks that come with it.
Anti-Inflammatory DietYour doctor may recommend making a few changes to your diet, as certain foods (like pastries and highly processed foods) can increase inflammation in your body. One simple strategy is to make your meals more colorful by adding a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods. Brightly colored fruits and veggies are full of antioxidants that help your body counteract inflammation.
You can also find anti-inflammatory nutrients called omega-3 fatty acids in foods like oily or fatty fish, some nuts and seeds, or free-range chicken. Including these in your diet can be beneficial during menopause too.
Physical ActivityAerobic exercise, or exercise that gets your heart pumping, can help reduce body-wide inflammation when you make it a regular part of your routine. Try jogging, going for a swim, or riding a bike several times a week.
Regular SleepDisrupted sleep contributes to chronic inflammation more than you might realize, and menopause symptoms like hot flashes can make it harder to sleep well. Try to prioritize sleep as a way of managing stress and keeping inflammation in check.
Stress ManagementHigh levels of stress can be a key cause of chronic inflammation and can worsen the inflammation that comes from declining estrogen. Try to add healthy stress management strategies to your routine, such as practicing yoga, reading, or taking a relaxing walk.
Don’t be afraid to seek professional support if you’re not able to manage your stress on your own.
Avoiding Smoking and DrinkingSmoking and alcohol use can feel like helpful stress management techniques when you feel tense or overwhelmed, but over time, they increase inflammation throughout your body.
Stop smoking and avoid excessive drinking to lower inflammation, sleep better, and reduce health risks associated with these habits.
Hormone TherapyResearch suggests that hormone replacement therapy may help reduce some inflammatory chemicals associated with chronic inflammation. HRT isn’t the best option for every woman in menopause, so you should talk to your doctor to weigh the risks and benefits.
If you have concerns about menopause-related chronic inflammation and how it might impact your health, share your concerns with your doctor.
Your doctor can answer your questions about inflammation and recommend treatments or lifestyle strategies to address your health concerns. They can also help you lower your risk of dementia, joint pain, and other conditions linked to chronic inflammation during menopause.
Continue with Facebook
Continue with Email
Continue with Facebook
Continue with Email
Become a member to get even more
Join the conversation
This is a member-feature!
Sign up for free to view article comments.
We'd love to hear from you! Please share your name and email to post and read comments.
You'll also get the latest articles directly to your inbox.