Though the research is still thin, many health experts
say even moderate exercise can help relieve the problems
of menopause in some women, including anxiety, insomnia
and night sweats.
Menopause, which typically occurs between the ages of 45
and 55, is when a woman stops menstruating. Symptoms can
range from mood swings, to hot flashes, headaches and trouble
focusing.
The National Institutes of Health
is conducting a wide-ranging study of several issues related
to menopause, including depression, cognitive and sexual
function. NIH-backed research so far only suggests a link
between physical activity and decreased symptoms of menopause
— no proof exercise is a cure.
For example, women who exercise may report fewer hot flashes
simply because they are less preoccupied with such symptoms,
said Sheryl Sherman, a doctor with the National Institute
on Aging, an arm of NIH.
While experiences vary from woman to woman, some say even
a little boost in physical activity goes a long way.
Just a week after starting a walking routine, 54-year-old
Joan Newman saw a dramatic decline in hot flashes. "After
that, every chance I got, I walked around the campus," said
Newman, an administrative assistant at Missouri State University
in Springfield, Mo.
She says her daily walks reduced hot flashes from hourly
to five or six a day.
Dr. Lila Nachtigall, a spokeswoman for the North American
Menopause Society, said it is critical for women to get
exercise at this time of life despite the lack of conclusive
evidence that exercise relieves menopausal symptoms.
As estrogen levels fall, it's easier for women to gain
weight, Nachtigall said. Exercise also promotes an overall
sense of well-being that helps women handle troublesome
symptoms better, she said.
"It certainly can't hurt," she said.
Small studies have also suggested the pluses of exercise.
One by the American College of Sports Medicine showed strength
training helped reduce hot flashes and headaches by 50 percent.
Another published in the Journal of Advanced Nursing found
exercise boosted overall health-related quality of life
measures in menopausal women.
And a third in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology
found exercise slowed the progression of hardening of the
arteries, which is linked to lower levels of estrogen in
women during menopause.
Exercise can lower the risk for cardiovascular disease
in general and strengthen muscle to prevent fractures —
another risk factor that grows as estrogen levels decline,
said Barbara Bushman, a professor of health and physical
education at Missouri State University and author of "Action
Plan for Menopause."
At the very least, staying active can temper secondary
effects of menopause like insomnia and weight gain, said
Cedric Bryant, chief scientist for the American Council
on Exercise.
"You may not be able to totally eliminate (the symptoms),
but it seems you can certainly alleviate them," Bryant said.
With exercise touted as a magic bullet for boosting everything
from mental acuity to mood, it's no surprise that it may
help during menopause, said Alysia Mastrangelo, a professor
of physical therapy at Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.
Yet many women now going through that transition may have
grown up in a time when a premium wasn't placed on physical
activity, Mastrangelo said. "This is a group that historically
doesn't exercise."
Experiences vary greatly, however, and some say exercise
doesn't seem to curb their hot flashes at all. Marilyn Matrazzo,
a 56-year-old resident of Colonie, an Albany suburb, said
she's not sure her daily workouts help temper her hot flashes.
But she persists to maintain a general sense of well-being.
"It helps everything — I just have more 'oomph' during
the day and sleep better," she said.
