Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Menopausal Weight Loss Products, Will They Work for You

By Ricardo d Argence

Apart from the bothersome symptoms of menopause, weight gain is very common during this time in a woman's life. This weight gain is often unexpected, and happens even in women who haven't made any dietary changes or reduced their activity level.

As you might imagine, there are number of menopausal weight loss products that are marketed to women as effective aids in fighting weight gain during menopause. But are these products really worth it? Before delving further into the various products and their pros and cons, let's discuss the mechanisms of weight gain during menopause, and the associated risks of being overweight during menopause.

Gaining weight during menopause is common for several different reasons. One is sluggish and inadequate digestive function that is the result of aging. More nutrients in your body is processed when food is kept in your digestive tract longer, ensuring that you absorb more nutrients from your food, including fat and calories.

The hormonal changes of menopause, principally decreased estrogen levels, also cause weight gain. This is because estrogen and fat production are linked, fat cells help regulate estrogen production. When estrogen levels decrease in menopause, the body may try to hold on to as much fat as possible to counteract this drop in hormone levels. Hormones and body fat work together in an intricate biofeedback loop that affects appetite, metabolism, and fat storage.

The risks of weight gain are amplified for menopausal women. Being overweight at any stage of life carries risks, like increased risk of high blood pressure, breast and reproductive cancers, high cholesterol, heart disease, and diabetes. Since the hormone estrogen is important for preventing cardiovascular disease, the risk of having a heart attack goes up when levels of this hormone drop, even then the menopausal women experience no weight gain. The risk of developing health issues is greatly increased for women who become overweight after going through menopause.

So, should you contrivance menopausal weight loss deficit produces to save emphasizing avail in menopause? Let's take a look into a few of these products:

Estrin-D: A number of metabolism-increasing stimulants,this product contains. These are xanthine (caffeine) derived formulations like yerba matte, caffeine, and guarana, along with some other innocuous herbal ingredients. This product does increase the metabloic rate, which makes it fall under the category of a stimulant. There are risks associated with stimulants. Tachycardia, high blood pressure, feeling of 'edginess' and excessive perspiration are caused due to high levels of caffeine and other stimulants in this formula. Caffeine is also thought to contribute to hot flashes during menopause. Taking these points into consideration, you will find that Edstrin-D is not a perfect weight loss choice.

Zalestra: Zalestra will not only relieve some of the negative menopause symptoms but it's blend of natural ingredients also workes to increase your metabolism. Unlike products that contain caffeine, this will not have any negative effects on your health.

Estrolean: This product is similar to Zalestra, with a low amount of thermogenic ingredients. It does contain natural estrogen, which is thought to help control some of the hormonal imbalances that often accompany menopausal weight gain.

While some of these preparations may have benefit in reducing menopausal symptoms, they will not cause you to lose weight without eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. At best, they might help a little with weight loss, and at worst they can have dangerous and unpleasant side effects.

Eating healthy during menapause will help you from putting on the pounds. A wholesome diet includes vegetables, fruits, lean proteins in addition to rich nutrients that include vitamin D, calcium and omega-3 fats. It is the best way to lose weight during menopause. - 17943

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