Does Menopause Cause Weight Gain?

First off, humans are unique in that no other primate has an extended period of life post-menopausally and it is believed that having grandmothers is evolutionarily advantageous for the success of human groups! Only two other species seem to have extended post-menopausal periods, Elephants and Killer Whales and they too have grandmas that teach their young a thing or two about this world [1].

The median age of menopause in humans is 51, and symptoms of menopause can lead to significant decreases in quality of life. Menopause generally comes with a ~95% drop in estrogen, which is cardio, bone, and muscularly protective. This is why resistance training and fighting gravity becomes increasingly important in this population [2-7].