In menopause, is it good or bad that belly fat creates oestrogen?

Belly fat can act like an organ by creating sex hormones, especially oestrogen, but also testosterone.

These hormones can either be too high, or too low during menopause.

But while the process of increasing these hormones known as aromatisation is a normal one, it’s not a healthy when it happens too much.

This is because it’s often caused by blood sugar or metabolic imbalances, a poor diet, excess stress, low progesterone, toxins like plastics, and even muscle loss.

In fact, excess aromatisation in menopause due to too much belly fat can further disrupt your hormones, and increase your chance of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers such as certain breast ones.

• This is why I look closely at my menopausal clients’ diet and gut health, and to really understand what’s going on, I do deep lab testing.

• This includes sex and stress hormones, and blood sugar or metabolic ones as well as thyroid markers

• This thorough approach helps women regain their health, feel vital and happy again, and to lose weight including especially around their belly