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[AngelaH]

We're not talking about the natural variation in the female body shape, but the change that results in increasing amoints of fat that are laid down in the mid-section post-menopause, rather than hips and thighs, and "apple" and "pear" are convenient (if crude) ways of summarising this. The change happens to (many? most?) invididuals. This is a consequence of reduced oestrogen and by implication a change in the oestrogen:testosterone balance. Waist get larger even if bust and hips remain the same. Some people prefer not to use the term androgenic but it is well known that high androgens can result in a change in the female body shape.

Hurdity x

We are talking about “pear” shape of the body. If you read carefully original post you will find it there, also it is not clear where Noheroicsplease is, in post meno or in peri.

quote author=Noheroicsplease link=topic=70562.msg956140#msg956140 date=1724442091]
This is a more specific question than 'does HRT make you put on weight'...but I've noticed my thighs and buttocks are a fair bit bigger after HRT. I can't decide if this is just the passage of time - I work out a lot and don't eat very much. My stomach is fine, my breasts are bigger, but I def look more pear shaped. Waist is small.

thoughts welcome. I take Estrogel and Utrogestan and Testogel (testosterone might also be encouraging weight gain?)
[/quote]

Anyway if the right balance is achieved, fast metabolism will put the body in healthy looking shape and weight, it happened to me when I was in peri and it happened to me again in post meno. I have classic “apple” shaped body and if I put on weight I still look like “apple”. 

Imbalance between any hormones leads to slow metabolism and gaining weight. In peri I was low in progesterone, nothing wrong with estrogen and my metabolism simply dyed, it did not exist, in post meno both estrogen and progesterone dropped to the bottom and my metabolism stopped, nothing worked properly in my body. But in both cases the problem was resolved with simple correction of balance between the sex hormones.

Actually transdermal HRT in post meno gave me the biggest gain in weight,  because I just couldn’t get it right for my body, but still in “apple” shape. 

[Kathleen]

Hello again ladies.

I wonder how all this plays out for ladies not on HRT?  I know post meno  women of all shapes and sizes, one has a definite 'muffin top' and others are very rounded. I am intrigued as to how they manage without HRT as none of them are having the Symptoms I am having. Could it be that their fat cells provide enough oestrogen for them but also they have sufficient testosterone as well? I understand that in post meno we can also convert testosterone to oestrogen if needed.

Btw none of these women have had their blood Oestradiol levels tested whereas I am obsessed with my levels and my Nurse Practitioner is convinced that a magic number is within reach lol.

Take care ladies.

K.

[joziel]

Well, fat cells store/produce 'estrone' which is the inflammatory type of estrogen women usually end up producing a lot of in menopause.

Probably the body feels deprived of estradiol so turns to estrone instead. But estrone doesn't have the same metabolic effects as estradiol, quite the opposite. It's pro-inflammatory.

Hopefully replacing estradiol with HRT keeps all this in check. Although the micro-doses of HRT which many women are prescribed might not be enough to off-set some of this, especially with no one monitoring whether they are actually absorbing it.

However one theory is that larger/fatter women might have an easier or less symptomatic transition because they can call on this estrone. Whereas those of us with low body fat can't do this. (I am slim, for one.)

[AngelaH]

Hello again ladies.

I wonder how all this plays out for ladies not on HRT?  I know post meno  women of all shapes and sizes, one has a definite 'muffin top' and others are very rounded. I am intrigued as to how they manage without HRT as none of them are having the Symptoms I am having. Could it be that their fat cells provide enough oestrogen for them but also they have sufficient testosterone as well? I understand that in post meno we can also convert testosterone to oestrogen if needed.

Btw none of these women have had their blood Oestradiol levels tested whereas I am obsessed with my levels and my Nurse Practitioner is convinced that a magic number is within reach lol.

Take care ladies.

K.

The main estrogen which is produced by the body in post meno is estrone, it likes fat, specifically on belly.  in fact fatty tissues produce estrone.  In post meno it is merry go round “more fat”=“more estrogen”.

Every woman goes through menopause, but not every woman has meno symptoms, because falling hormones should not cause the symptoms, but this is the way how they fall is responsible for them. If falling hormones lose their balance meno symptoms appear.

[AngelaH]

However one theory is that larger/fatter women might have an easier or less symptomatic transition

Anyway fatter women always look happier than slim in any age. 

[margherita]

Anyway fatter women always look happier than slim in any age. 

Nonsense and offensive

[AngelaH]

Nonsense and offensive

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/overweight-fat-obese-skinny-study-bmi-university-bristol-a8127381.html

People who are overweight are more likely to be happy, a study has found.

Carrying extra pounds is usually associated with a number of health risks, including heart conditions, diabetes and increased likelihood of suffering strokes.

However, a new study has discovered that people who are classified as fat may lead happier lives.

The research, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, was conducted by a group of scientists at the University of Bristol led by Louise Millard and George Davey Smith.

[joziel]

There is so much pressure on women to look a certain way, I can imagine there might be happiness involved in just forgetting about all that and eating whatever the F you want, frankly.

However, for health reasons, I'm not going to do that - however happy it might make me!