Menopause Cravings: Hormones & Appetite

Menopause brings about significant hormonal fluctuations, making it more challenging for many women to maintain a healthy body weight. These fluctuations often lead to intense food cravings, which can feel overwhelming and uncontrollable. While cravings are sometimes associated with a lack of willpower, the reality is that there are biological factors behind these urges during menopause.

Hunger and appetite are often confused, but they are distinct concepts. Hunger is the body’s physical need for food, while appetite is the desire for specific foods, often triggered by cravings. Although cravings differ from true hunger, they can feel just as powerful.

Cravings typically involve a strong urge to eat specific foods, especially those high in sugar, salt, or fat. These urges are not necessarily driven by hunger but by a complex interplay of hormones and brain chemistry.

Throughout different stages of life, including the menstrual cycle and pregnancy, women experience fluctuations in hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which influence cravings. Similarly, during menopause, changes in these hormones can lead to increased cravings. By understanding the science behind these cravings, women can take steps to manage them effectively.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

Does menopause cause cravings?

The menopause transition, which includes perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause, can start as early as age 35 and can span over two decades. During this time, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels steadily decline, impacting various systems in the body, including those that regulate hunger and appetite.

People don’t usually associate menopause with food cravings, which is why cravings are not often discussed as a symptom of menopause. However, they can be overwhelmingly powerful and intrusive. 

The Science of the Hormones Behind Cravings 

Hormonal changes during menopause can increase cravings for certain foods. Research indicates that specific foods stimulate the brain's reward centers, influencing food choices and eating behaviors. The hypothalamus, a small but critical part of the brain, regulates the release of hormones related to stress, pleasure, pain, and hunger. When certain foods are consumed, the hypothalamus triggers feelings of pleasure, leading to more frequent desire to consume these foods.

These "comfort foods" are usually sweet, salty, or fatty, and they can directly influence the release of hormones that affect hunger, fullness, and stress levels. Key hormones involved in food cravings include the following:⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

• Insulin

• Cortisol

• Estrogen

• Progesterone

• Testosterone

• Leptin (signals fullness)

• Ghrelin (signals hunger)

When hormones are balanced, eating a normal meal triggers the release of leptin at appropriate levels, signaling to the brain that the stomach is full. Then, once the body has gone without food for several hours, ghrelin is released from the stomach to signal to the brain that the person is hungry again and should eat. This process helps regulate appetite and fat distribution. However, during menopause, hormonal imbalances can lead to persistent cravings, even when the body doesn’t need more food. These imbalances can disrupt the normal hormonal cycle that regulates hunger and fullness, causing an individual to constantly crave comfort foods.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

Fat Cells and Hormones

Estrogen and progesterone levels significantly influence appetite and fat distribution in the body. Normal estrogen levels help regulate fat storage and signal fat cells to release energy, which aids in weight management. However, the drop in estrogen levels during menopause can disrupt this regulatory process.

Fat cells, which act like expandable balloons, increase or decrease in size based on calorie intake. While the number of fat cells remains constant, their size can vary, affecting how full or hungry a person feels. For example, individuals with fewer fat cells tend to have larger, plumper cells that release more leptin, signaling fullness more effectively.⁽²⁾⁽³⁾

Estrogen also increases the activity of brown adipose tissue (BAT), which plays a role in burning calories and regulating body temperature. When estrogen levels are adequate, they can stimulate BAT to increase calorie burning, thereby helping manage weight. Additionally, insulin, which regulates blood sugar, is also influenced by estrogen and progesterone levels, further impacting cravings and appetite during menopause.⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾

How Chronic Stress & Fatigue Affect Eating Patterns

Stress eating, aka emotional eating, is a specific type of craving. It’s common to want to reach for comfort foods like cookies or chips after a tough day or when facing a stressful event. Unfortunately, stress can trigger behaviors that disrupt healthy eating patterns and may contribute to long-term health issues.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

For example, fatigue is not only a symptom of chronic stress but is also one of the most common symptoms of menopause. When tired, the body searches for energy to revitalize itself, and the easiest way to do that is by eating carbohydrates, which the body converts to fuel almost immediately. But these simple sugars only provide a short-term boost of energy, often followed by a crash. This can become cyclical, leading to more cravings.^(3)(4)(5)

Chronic stress and the resulting behaviors can lead to the following:

• Cravings for comfort foods that are high in fat and calories but low in nutrients⁽²⁾

• Disrupted sleep, which increases fatigue and elevates cortisol levels. Poor sleep is also linked to imbalances in leptin and ghrelin, which may result in overeating.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

• Increased intake of caffeine or high-calorie snacks as an attempt to combat fatigue

• Accumulation of belly fat, which can raise the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain types of breast cancer⁽²⁾

How to Control Menopause Cravings

Managing cravings during menopause can be challenging, but several strategies can help control them:

1. Maintaining a Balanced Diet

Eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, can help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce the intensity of cravings.

2. Practicing Mindful Eating

Paying attention to the type and quantity of food can prevent overeating. Instead of rushing through meals, making it a habit to slow down, savor each bite, and enjoy the meal can help curb cravings. Listening to the body's hunger and fullness cues can also reduce the likelihood of giving in to cravings.

3. Avoiding Trigger Foods

Identifying food items that trigger cravings, like sugary snacks and processed foods, and not stocking them at home can reduce temptation. 

4. Eating Small, Frequent Meals

Eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day can help stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent extreme hunger, which often leads to cravings.

5. Engaging in Regular Exercise

Regular physical activity helps with weight management, reduces stress, and balances hormones, which can lessen the frequency and intensity of cravings.

6. Staying Hydrated

Dehydration may sometimes be mistaken for hunger. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day can help reduce cravings and keep the body functioning optimally.

7. Managing Stress 

Stress can be a significant trigger for cravings, so it's essential to find healthy ways to manage it. Engaging in enjoyable activities, practicing work-life balance, and spending time with loved ones can help reduce stress and improve overall well-being. Incorporating techniques like yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises can also help keep stress levels in check, making it easier to manage cravings during menopause.

8. Getting Adequate Sleep

Poor sleep can disrupt hormone levels and increase cravings. Getting 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night can help keep appetite and cravings under control.

9. Considering Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

If cravings are particularly intense and disruptive, hormone replacement therapy may help by balancing the hormone fluctuations that contribute to cravings during menopause. Take a brief menopause quiz and determine if HRT is appropriate for you.

10. Seeking Support

Talking to a friend, family member, or counselor about struggles with cravings can provide emotional support and accountability, helping individuals stay on track.

Implementing these strategies can help manage cravings during menopause, making it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle.