Are you feeling the heat of menopause creeping up on you? How do fluctuating hormone levels have an effect on your waistline?

Find out how Calocurb harnesses the power of the all-natural Amarasate to support your appetite and weight management during menopause.

In clinical-speak, menopause is defined as ‘the permanent end to menstruation due to loss of ovarian function’. Hormonal balance may be affected before menopause - this transitional period can last up to a decade! Perimenopause is the phase when the ovaries are winding down and starting to struggle with oestrogen and progesterone release (infrequent menstruations/periods). Or sometimes, they wake-up again suddenly and pump out too many hormones (i.e hot flushes). It’s like your body hits the reset button, orchestrating a mass internal restructuring.

The hormones ovaries produce go everywhere in our body and brain. This is why there are so many possible symptoms when our hormone levels start to fluctuate and change.  One of the most frequent menopausal issues includes weight gain.

Contrary to long held beliefs, weight loss is not simply a matter of willpower.

Scientific evidence shows that with normal ageing, the body naturally shifts the normal distribution of body mass and an increase of 0.5 kg per year. This is why the myriad of diets aimed at the ‘menopause belly’ are not efficient…our bodies naturally evolved to redeposit tissue towards the abdomen (visceral fat), often with a loss in lean muscle mass. Changes in the brain’s response to leptin (a hormone which regulates long-term body weight) can result in increased hunger, decreased satiety, and weight gain.

A study found that the menopausal transition can cause an increase in hunger and desire to eat, especially carbohydrate-rich and sugary foods. The researchers linked this to the drop in oestrogen and progesterone levels which help regulate metabolism and body weight. The dreaded night sweats can also have a knock-on effect on your weight. When you feel tired, your body tends to look for food for energy and uses sugar and carbohydrates as energy sources - a nightmare cycle of weight disturbance!

Glucagon-like-peptide-1, or GLP-1 is an important hormone that affects hunger and satiety from meal-to-meal. GLP-1 is produced in the upper small intestine and tells the brain that we’re full.

While it is inevitable that the body will go through a natural transition, it is possible to help ensure a smoother flow. Lifestyle modifications can help reduce the severity of symptoms, such as:

• Reducing your daily caloric intake by 200 calories
• Introducing a mediterranean style diet
• Including muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days

Due to the hormonal changes associated with menopause, Calocurb is particularly effective for the natural stimulation of GLP-1 release which can be a sustainable method for appetite and weight management in middle-aged and menopausal women.

• Reduce caloric intake by up to 18%
• Reduce the change in feelings of hunger and cravings by 100% in women
• Naturally stimulate the release of GLP-1 and other associated satiety hormones (CCK, PYY) by up to 6 times compared to baseline