Why is strength training for menopause important?
Find out why strength training is important for menopause.
Key points
- Supports bone health: Strength training helps maintain bone density during menopause, reducing the risk of osteoporosis caused by lower oestrogen levels.
- Improves heart and weight management: Regular strength exercises can help control cholesterol, support heart health, and boost metabolism to manage weight gain.
- Boosts mental wellbeing: Strength training releases mood-enhancing chemicals like endorphins and dopamine, helping reduce anxiety, brain fog, and low mood.
Strength training is exercise that helps improve your strength and muscle endurance. From bodyweight movements to Pilates, there are many ways to incorporate it into your routine. As individuals go through perimenopause, hormonal shifts can impact bone density, muscle mass and overall energy levels. Strength training could help counter these changes.
How does strength training for menopause help?
During perimenopause, your body produces less oestrogen, and you absorb bone minerals quicker than you can build them. This can leave you at risk of osteoporosis because your bone density can reduce. Footnote [1] Adding strength training into your routine can help improve and maintain your bone health. But there are also other health benefits from weight-bearing exercise.
Heart health
Menopause can also leave you at risk of heart issues. Oestrogen helps to protect your heart by controlling cholesterol levels. This means that it helps reduce the risks of fatty deposits building up in your arteries. When oestrogen levels fall, your cholesterol levels may rise, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke. Footnote [2] It’s important to look after your heart during menopause, you can do this by sticking to a healthy diet and regularly exercising, including strength training.
Weight management
Weight gain is common during perimenopause, largely due to the hormonal changes that can lead your body to store more fat and burn calories less efficiently. Footnote [3] Adding strength training to your weekly routine could help manage your weight, by building lean muscle and boosting your metabolism, making it easier to burn calories. It also supports your overall health, helping you feel stronger and more energised.
Mental health
Menopause can affect your mood and mental wellbeing. Common symptoms include anxiety, low mood, difficulty concentrating (often called ‘brain fog’), and low self-esteem. Footnote [4] Regular exercise and strength training could help combat these feelings. Physical activity encourages the release of neurotransmitters like endorphins and dopamine, which boost mood, motivation, and mental clarity, helping you feel more energised and focused. Footnote [5]
How often should you strength train?
It’s recommended that you try to do at least two sessions of muscle strengthening exercises spread across the week. Footnote [6] But you should be combining this with other forms of exercise too, as well as adding rest days into your week to help with recovery and muscle repair.
For more information and examples of strength exercises, see the NHS website.
