Hormonal
Estrogen deficiency during menopause causes a shift in fat distribution from subcutaneous to visceral (abdominal) adipose tissue and promotes metabolic dysfunction, which can be mitigated by estrogen replacement therapy.
If you are a postmenopausal woman experiencing rapid abdominal weight gain, this is likely driven by the loss of estrogen, not just your diet. While lifestyle changes are always important, the paper suggests that Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), particularly transdermal estrogen, may help reverse this specific visceral fat accumulation and improve metabolic health in women under 60, provided the benefits outweigh individual risks like breast cancer.
The decrease in estrogen levels in menopausal women is associated with the loss of subcutaneous fat and an increase in abdominal fat [42].
Why this rating
The paper is a systematic review citing numerous animal models (ER knockout mice, ovariectomized rats) and human observational studies, though clinical trial data on weight loss is mixed.
Source
Estrogen Deficiency and the Origin of Obesity during Menopause
Fernando Lizcano et al. · BioMed Research International · 2014
DOI 10.1155/2014/757461
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