Ask the Expert: Exercise and Menopause

Q: My sister is four years older than me and she is already experiencing menopause. Unfortunately she is having significant symptoms and so did our mother. Given my family history, I am concerned I will also experience a challenging menopause. I have been very active my entire life and wonder if regular exercise will help me better cope when my change of life occurs. Manon

A: Dear Manon: Great to hear you are committed to active living. Every woman experiences menopause differently. Some women have mild symptoms while others like your sister and mother have a much harder time. In addition to symptoms, it is important to remember that menopause increases the risk of developing certain diseases such as breast cancer, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. The good news is there are things you can do to help fight the effects of menopause and regular exercise is one of them.

The benefits exercise offers to menopausal women do not appear to be related to correcting the hormonal changes that occur with this condition. Rather the effects seem to be the result of the short and long term benefits regular exercise offers everyone. These benefits include increased cardiovascular fitness, lower bad fats, higher good fats, reduced body fat, increased muscle mass, reduced anxiety and depression and enhanced feelings of wellbeing. Some studies have also shown regular exercise can reduce fatigue, chronic muscle pain, decrease the intensity of hot flashes, improve sleep and increase bone mass or at least reduce that rate of bone loss.

To achieve these benefits, you don’t need to train like an Olympic Champion. What you do need to do is exercise “regularly” and ensure your program includes three basic components:

  1. Cardiovascular activities such as walking, marching, running, swimming and cycling for 150 minutes/week at a moderate intensity or 75 minutes/week at a higher intensity;
  2. Strength training activities such a core strengthening, lifting weights, pulling on resistance bands, stair climbing and calisthenics – try this two-three times/week;
  3. Flexibility work – such as stretching, yoga and pilates – include this with every workout.

It is important to note that to increase your bone mass or reduce the rate of bone loss, you need to do impact activities and exercises where your muscles pull on bones – you will get this from your cardiovascular and strength training.  

The bottom line: Regular exercise probably won’t eliminate all of your menopausal symptoms. What it will do is help you cope better with your symptoms and hopefully reduce your risk of developing any of the serious diseases that become more common after menopause. Menopause may change your life but regular exercise is life changing!

Dr. Darrell Menard OMM MD, Dip Sport Med
Dr. Menard is the Surgeon General’s specialist advisor in sports medicine and has worked extensively with athletes from multiple sports. As part of the Strengthening the Forces team he works on injury prevention and promoting active living.

Strengthening the Forces is CAF/DND’s healthy lifestyles promotion program providing expert information, skills and tools for promoting and improving CAF members’ health and well-being.

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