A so-called menopause diet was today debunked by experts as a ‘difficult and expensive’ myth.
Hungarian scientists believe they have identified the precise diet that could reduce the severity of symptoms affecting millions of women who experience ‘the change’.
The recommendations – which urged women to avoid processed meat and pastries and cut back on alcohol, but increase their protein intake to that of a weightlifter – should be an “integral part of treatment”, they said.
Still, independent experts labeled the discovery as “nothing new” and claimed some of the demands were excessive.
But they recognized that a healthy diet could indeed help women shift the balance — even if there’s no one magic regimen to beat symptoms.
The recommendations – which urged women to avoid processed meat and pastries and cut back on alcohol, but increase their protein intake to that of a weightlifter – should be an “integral part of treatment”, they said. Still, independent experts labeled the discovery as “nothing new” and claimed some of the demands were excessive
Unintentional weight gain is a common complaint from women going through this biological phenomenon.
Research shows that losing weight can ease hot flashes while lowering the risk of serious complications, such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
Menopause naturally accelerates bone loss and also increases the risk of osteoporosis.
Dr. Sally King, research fellow in menstrual physiology at King’s College London, told MailOnline: ‘A healthy, balanced diet helps reduce the severity of all chronic health conditions because it is ‘anti-inflammatory’.
‘So yes, an anti-inflammatory diet like this will likely reduce the severity of perimenopausal symptoms, and the risk of disease in middle and old age, as these are inflammatory conditions.
“But this mandatory diet seems quite difficult and expensive, and includes certain food groups that are anti-inflammatory rather than anti-inflammatory.”
According to the recommendations of researchers from Semmelweis University in Budapest and the Hungarian Dietetic Association, women should consume dairy products equivalent to the calcium content of half a liter of milk.
According to the British Nutrition Foundation, about 400 grams of low-fat yogurt or 30 grams of cheddar will provide about the same benefit.
Menopausal women should also aim for around 33ml of fluid per kg of body weight per day, spread evenly throughout the day.
“Calcium supplements would be better,” Dr. King said.
Meanwhile, if I were to follow the fluid recommendations, “my calculated amount of fluids per day would be almost three liters — way too much for comfort,” she added.
Other daily recommendations include one to 1.2 g of protein per kg of weight, per day, to ‘increase and maintain skeletal muscle’ – in line with recommendations for weightlifters looking to build muscle.
For a 70kg woman, this would equate to two and a half chicken breasts.
Half of this protein should come from plant sources such as soybeans, seitan, lentils, beans, chickpeas, quinoa or nuts, the researchers said.
Mary Hickson, professor of dietetics at the University of Plymouth, warned that there is ‘no evidence’ for increasing protein intake to help relieve menopausal symptoms.
According to British guidelines, most adults need around 0.75 grams of protein per kg of weight per day – for the average woman this is 45 grams, roughly two portions of meat, fish or tofu.
Other recommendations in the diet include between 30 and 45 grams of fiber – mainly whole grains – eating no more than 5 grams of salt per day and at least 300 grams of vegetables and 200 grams of fruit per day.
Processed meat products should also be ‘occurring in small quantities occasionally’, while simple, fast-acting sugars, such as cakes and fizzy drinks, should be avoided.
Research has long shown that women between the ages of 50 and 60 gain an average of more than 6kg, regardless of their starting weight, race or ethnicity.
Being larger can worsen menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and increase the risk of complications.
However, experts acknowledged that the recommendations could help menopausal women lose weight.
‘These are all recommendations for an overall healthy diet for any adult,’ noted Professor Hickson.
Meanwhile, Dr Duane Mellor, a registered dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston University, told MailOnline: ‘It is very similar to a Mediterranean diet which is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and should also help with weight management – which can help manage symptoms of menopause.
‘So it’s not really a diet that counteracts menopause; it is a healthy diet that can help keep most adults healthy, regardless of what stage of life they are in.”
Professor Annice Mukkherjee, consultant endocrinologist at Spire Manchester Hospital, added: ‘This is not specific to menopause. In fact, waiting until menopause to implement healthy eating strategies is akin to closing the stable door after the horse has run away.”
The “main problem” with the recommendations lies in “that they are nothing new,” Dr. King also said.
She added: ‘A healthy, balanced diet is known to improve health.
‘The problem is getting people to buy one, because of the cost, lack of access and lack of appeal compared to sugary processed food during a working week, leaving us exhausted.
‘In terms of losing weight, it depends on how much people eat and how much they exercise.
“But if you switch from an unhealthy, processed, high-sugar diet to a healthy diet, the weight will indeed come off.”
She added: ‘Menopause is a healthy change, just like puberty.
‘Severe symptoms, apart from hot flashes, lack of sleep and changes in menstrual regularity, usually indicate an underlying condition or a stressful life or unhealthy lifestyle, including a poor diet.
‘Some of the foods recommended here – tofu, soybeans – have estrogenic properties that may also help reduce the severity of symptoms in this way.’
According to the British Dietetic Association, lifestyle changes can also help reduce menopausal symptoms, maintain bone density and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Although it recommends hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to relieve symptoms, a variety of calcium-rich foods can also “help maintain bone health.”
The guidelines recommend consuming two to three portions a day, including 200ml of semi-skimmed milk, ‘a piece of cheese the size of a matchbox’, a small yoghurt or milk-based pudding-like custard.
Other research has also shown that refined carbohydrates can hasten the onset of menopause.
In one study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health by scientists in Leeds, women whose diets focused more on fish, beans and other legumes began to experience the change later in life.
Each daily serving of these foods was associated with an average 3.3 year delay in the onset of menopause, the study found.
Menopause is the time when a woman’s periods stop. It usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55.
Researchers estimate that there will be 1.2 billion women in menopause worldwide by 2030 as life expectancy increases.
Eight in ten women will experience symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, sleep problems, low mood or anxiety and problems with memory.
Women are advised to see their GP if their symptoms are difficult to control.
HRT is the main medicine used to relieve symptoms. It works by replacing hormones that are at low levels.
But official figures show that the use of HRT has exploded in England in recent years.
The latest NHS data shows that 11 million HRT prescriptions were given in 2022/2023, an increase of 47 per cent on the previous year. They were distributed to 2.3 million patients, an increase of 29 percent compared to the 2021-2022 period.
Demand was so high that Britain was hit by a shortage of certain HRT drugs.
Experts estimate that HRT gels, patches and pills are up to 90 percent effective at reducing symptoms.