The Right Nutrition During Menopause

… and why supplementing with AKG may have beneficial effects.

During menopause, a woman's hormones often feel anything but balanced. While some women consult one physician after another without finding a lasting solution to their symptoms, others are already one step ahead: with the right diet and the metabolic molecule alpha-ketoglutarate as a dietary supplement, menopause can become a much more manageable stage of life.

Women seeking nutritional advice during menopause are often confronted with conflicting and sometimes contradictory recommendations. As a result, finding an approach that is both effective and sustainable can be challenging.

To better understand this, it is helpful to look at what actually changes during menopause and how the female body processes nutrients differently. Hormonal fluctuations during menopause often slow down metabolism, meaning that calories are burned less efficiently and are more readily stored as body fat. Combined with reduced physical activity, this can contribute to weight gain. It is therefore common for women who have always maintained a healthy weight to notice an increase in body weight during menopause. However, this is by no means inevitable.

Can Diet Help Relieve Menopausal Symptoms? Consider Reducing Wheat-Based Foods

Dieting alone is unlikely to permanently solve the metabolic changes associated with menopause. What can make a meaningful difference is a long-term change in lifestyle and eating habits. A balanced, seasonal, and fresh diet is always a good foundation for maintaining a healthy weight and supporting overall health. Several smaller meals throughout the day, consisting mainly of fruits and vegetables, are generally recommended. Since protein requirements also increase during menopause, a moderately higher protein intake should be considered. This can be achieved through high-quality lean meat or plant-based protein sources such as lentils and peas.

Did you know? In general, vegetarian women tend to report fewer menopausal symptoms. This suggests that a predominantly plant-based diet may be particularly beneficial. Soy-based foods such as tofu provide not only high-quality protein but also so-called phytoestrogens, which may help alleviate menopausal symptoms. As with many nutritional strategies, however, moderation is key—more is not always better.

It is also advisable to limit sugar, artificial sweeteners, and highly processed foods. These products often contain considerable amounts of hidden sugars. Reducing or avoiding wheat-based foods may also help decrease chronic inflammation while reducing bloating and constipation.

Exercise for Greater Well-Being

In addition to a healthy, balanced diet, regular moderate exercise can play an important role in managing menopausal symptoms and maintaining a healthy body weight. How about aiming for 30 minutes of physical activity each day? This does not necessarily mean intense workouts. Everyday movement also counts—taking the stairs instead of the elevator, cycling instead of driving, or simply walking more often. Small lifestyle changes can add up over time. Regular physical activity also contributes significantly to overall well-being.

Learn more about how regular exercise supports healthy aging in our article on Exercise and Longevity.

AKG – A Promising Supplement During Menopause?

AKG (alpha-ketoglutarate) is an important molecule in human metabolism that has demonstrated beneficial effects on chronic age-related inflammatory conditions in numerous scientific studies. In the context of menopause, its ability to support metabolic function is of particular interest. Supplementing with a high-quality AKG product after the onset of menopause may help support metabolic activity and potentially counteract the age-related slowing of metabolism. Since a slower metabolism is one of the major contributors to weight gain during menopause, maintaining metabolic efficiency may offer meaningful benefits.

Learn more about the effects of calcium alpha-ketoglutarate on cellular health and biological aging in our comprehensive article on Calcium Alpha-Ketoglutarate (CaAKG).