Saturday, February 28, 2009

Products to Lose Weight During Menopause

By Ricardo d Argence

Apart from the bothersome indication of menopause, weight gain in women during this span is very usual. This weight gain is often an accident, and will happen, even in women who had not made any changes in diet or reduce their level of activity.

As you might imagine, there are number of menopausal weight loss products that are marketed to women as effective aids in fighting weight gain during menopause. But are these products really worth it? Before delving further into the various products and their pros and cons, let's discuss the mechanisms of weight gain during menopause, and the associated risks of being overweight during menopause.

There are number of reasons for weight gain during menopause. One is slowed and inefficient digestion that is a consequence of getting older. This keeps food in the digestive tract longer, ensuring that you absorb more nutrients, including fat and calories, from your food.

The hormonal changes of menopause, principally decreased estrogen levels, also cause weight gain. This is because estrogen and fat production are linked, fat cells help regulate estrogen production. When estrogen levels decrease in menopause, the body may try to hold on to as much fat as possible to counteract this drop in hormone levels. Hormones and body fat work together in an intricate biofeedback loop that affects appetite, metabolism, and fat storage.

The risks of weight gain are amplified for menopausal women. Being overweight at any stage of life carries risks, like increased risk of high blood pressure, breast and reproductive cancers, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes. Since the hormone estrogen is important for preventing cardiovascular disease, the risk of having a heart attack goes up when levels of this hormone drop, even then the menopausal women experience no weight gain. The risk of developing health issues is greatly increased for women who become overweight after going through menopause.

So, should you contrivance menopausal weight loss deficit produces to save emphasizing avail in menopause? Let's take a look into a few of these products:

Estrin-D: This product contains a number of metabolism-increasing stimulants. These are xanthine (caffeine) derived formulations like yerba matte, caffeine, and guarana, along with some other innocuous herbal ingredients. While the product does indeed rev up metabolism, there are many risks associated with stimulant-based products. Also, the high levels of caffeine and other stimulants in this formula can cause tachycardia, high blood pressure, a feeling of 'edginess', and excessive perspiration. Caffeine is also thought to contribute to hot flashes during menopause. These considerations make Estrin-D a less-than-ideal choice for menopausal weight loss.

Zalestra: While treating some of the unpleasant symptoms of menopause,Zalestra includes a far safer array of herbal ingredients that are designed to create a more gentle increase in metabolism. This item does not share the caffeine content of similar products.

Estrolean: The product is similar to Zalestra, but with a smal volume thermogenic ingredients. It is the estrogen which helps to control some of the hormonal imbalances that often accompany menopausal weight gain.

While some of these preparations may have benefit in reducing menopausal symptoms, they will not cause you to lose weight without eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. At best, they might help a little with weight loss, and at worst they can have dangerous and unpleasant side effects.

During menopause, it is vital to eat a diet rich in fiber, eat whole foods, and keep your fat intake at moderate levels to achieve optimum weight control. Along with adequate amounts of vital nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fats,a healthy diet that emphasizes fruits, veggies, grains, and lean sources of protein. There's no better way to lose weight during menopause. - 16004

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