Just when you think menopause can’t throw another curveball at you, you start feeling a host of digestive issues. Although it’s one of the less discussed symptoms of menopause, digestive issues like bloating, heartburn, GERD, are actually very common. Read our guide to better digestion to understand the link with menopause and how you can tame these symptoms.
Why are digestive issues common in menopause?
Much like the rest of our body, the digestive tract has estrogen receptors throughout, which can cause changes in bowel habits and sensations with hormone fluctuations. For example, low estrogen can slow down your intestinal peristalsis, which is responsible for moving digested material through your gut. This can lead to constipation, which is quite common in menopausal women. Hormones can also impact your stomach’s secretions, which can affect how well you digest your food.
While hormone fluctuations can alter your digestive function, other menopause symptoms can also cause an stomach upset, such as anxiety, stress, and irritability. Furthermore, habits around eating, exercise, and sleep can change in menopause, which alters our digestive function. Indeed, our pelvic floor muscles can weaken as we get older, which can make excretion of digestive contents more challenging.
What are the common digestive symptoms associated with menopause?
- Constipation
- Diarrhea (especially after constipation. It can be a vicious cycle)
- Nausea
- Bloating
- Abdominal cramps
- Heartburn
How can I manage digestive issues in menopause?
Fortunately, lifestyle adjustments are a great place to begin, as they can be highly successful in treating your digestive issues. When lifestyle changes fail to make an improvement, meet with your doctor to discuss medical management of your symptoms such as nausea and constipation.
Reduce stress – Many people feel stress (and anxiety) in their stomach before anywhere else. High levels of cortisol can slow digestion, which can make you feel bloated and cause constipation.
Move more – Exercising every day in some fashion can help you move your bowels. Constipation is partly on the rise because many populations have become more sedentary, making the bowels sluggish. Targeted exercises for your pelvic floor muscles can also make going to the bathroom easier.
Turn to your diet – Some foods slow digestion down. Unfortunately, many of these foods are staples in our diet and happen to be quite tasty. Try to limit your consumption of red meat, dairy products, processed grains, gluten, and friend foods. Replace these items with foods that are high in fiber, such as legumes, fruit, whole wheat grains, and vegetables. Adding probiotics such as yogurt and sauerkraut can help improve your digestion as well.
Try Magnesium – This mineral is abundant in our body and plays a critical role in numerous enzymatic reactions, including in the digestive tract. Magnesium has become very popular as a “cure-all” type mineral because it helps relieve constipation, may help you sleep better at night, and can relieve PMS symptoms.
Have you tried a strategy or product that works for your digestive health? Share your thoughts below.
Thank you for this article. I was diagnosed with GERD earlier this year after a battery of tests because I had a sudden onset of shortness of breath (SOB); turns out GERD can cause SOB. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t realize I’d started menopause since I’d already had a hysterectomy, so my symptoms appeared in February/March just as COVID hit…. let’s just say it was a terrible time to have the most extreme changes in your body occur and you can’t get in to see a doctor. Sadly, with everything I experienced my male primary doctor’s recommendation for me was a depression and anxiety test!! Thankfully I know what’s going on and how to treat it.
I’d love to hear what has worked for you because I’ve experienced the same thing (GERD and SOB symptoms). I had no idea it might be related to menopause!
My primary care doctor prescribed SUCRALFATE, which I take 3-4 times a day after my meals. It curtails the SOB and other related GERD symptoms.
I brought this up a few months back as it’s one of my main symptoms 🙁
I’ve suffered with IBS for years and I realize now it was probably the first symptom of peri-menopause I had along with the bloating. I’ve been using Align probiotic for a year and it has really helped with the IBS and bloating. No other probiotic has helped. My dietitian put me on to it and she said her other clients swear by it too.
I totally agree that Sauercraut, probiotics and Magnesium works wonders for me and Kalm tablets and Tumeric in warm soya milk.
Hi! Would anyone know what type of Magnesium is more gentle for the stomach when you have Acid Reflux?
This is one one my main symptoms and instead of linking it to being peri menopausal my doctor is testing me for all other things and has told me to come of HRT! I’m so frustrated!
I have terrible constipation and had no idea it was related to menopause. I take magnesium ( Herbs) off Amazon which helps. It is much worse since I gave up alcohol for some reason.
I had terrible constipation to the point where one time I thought that my bowel was going to tear.
I’ve tried everything but eating more roughage has helped. I have All Bran every morning or a supermarket version of it and some psyllium husks at night. I researched the amounts of fibre in cereal and even though I was eating porridge every day it wasn’t as high in fibre as All Bran. It’s not the most exciting breakfast but it definitely works. I now go to the loo everyday and it’s a complete relief. I feel so much better.
Thank you for sharing this. I have also had numerous digestive issues for awhile now. What has really worked for me are digestive enzymes with meals, cutting out dairy and sugar (very hard but has made a difference for me) , taking high quality collagen and practicing intermittent fasting. I recommend reading up on “leaky gut” and having the patience to remove triggers and discover what affects you and what helps you. It is a slow, frustrating and not easy process but ,at least for me , it has helped. Exercise (just moving or stretching everyday is enough) and drinking lots of (alkaline) water.
I am still learning and struggling more on some days, but I try to be patient and gentle to my body. Wishing everyone relief and health.
I’ve found avoiding sugary foods and dairy plus adding milled linseed to my diet (on porridge/cereals or smoothies) plus ensuring I drink 2 litres of fluids has really helped me.
Up the nuts & linseed etc on your cereal.
Drink more water, especially nice & cold.. you get used to it! good for your system
Raisins are good for magnesium ?
There’s a reason older people like prunes
It’s 1 year since my last period and have had terrible constipation these last 6 months and tried everything to no avail including lots of exercise. Then I tried prunes with my porridge and now I bulk buy them, you just need to experiment with how many do the trick as it’s an exact science ? My magic number is 7