After you go through menopause, your ovaries produce very little of the sex hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Perimenopause, or the time leading up to menopause, generally begins in a woman’s late 40s.
Most women experience menopausearound the age of 511.
It could improve heart disease risk factors.
As women age, blood lipids tend to increase, which can increase heart disease risk.
It could promote healthy weight loss.
IF has been shown to promote weight loss in many populations, including older women.
It could improve insulin sensitivity.
Fasting may also be effective for lowering blood pressure levels in postmenopausal women, but moreresearch is needed3.
It may improve hormonal health via HGH.
As we age, levels of HGH decline.
Fasting methods, including IF, have been shown toincrease levels14of HGH.
We’ll talk a little more about how IF affects other hormones a little later in the article.
“Many people start with shorter fasts and gradually increase their fast length.”
That’s because fasting can be stressful on the body and may not be appropriate for certain women.
Fasting can affect levels ofthe stress hormone cortisol, she explains.
(Fasting is a pop in of stressor in itself, after all.)
See here for more tips onthe best foods to break a fast.
First, fasting has been shown toaffect women’s hormone levels, sometimes in a negative way.
Another downside of IF for women over 50 is that it may worsen hot flashes.
Older research suggests that hot flash symptoms worsen whenblood sugar is low18.
This association was strongest in older adults with low levels of physical activity.
FAQ
What is the best punch in of intermittent fasting for women over 50?
Can menopausal women lose weight with intermittent fasting?
How many hours should a woman over 50 do intermittent fasting?
Dunston recommends starting on the lower end of that spectrum.
That’s usually much easier to accomplish and also reap the health benefits of fasting," she says.
And remember: Fasting is most effective when paired withan otherwise nutritious eating pattern.
