Can weight loss medicines help with menopausal weight gain?

Gaining weight when you’re not expecting to can be worrying. If you’re approaching mid-life or have started to experience menopause, you might notice that you’re starting to gain weight.

Menopause can cause you to experience a hormonal rollercoaster. At different stages, your hormone levels may drop or rise and cause a variety of symptoms. Around 80% of women report experiencing difficult symptoms during this time. Hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog and vaginal dryness are only some of the symptoms you might experience.¹

Weight gain is also a common experience among women during perimenopause (the time before menopause when your body starts to change). On average, women gain 1.5kg per year during perimenopause and 10kg by the time they reach menopause.²

Although it may seem worrying, it is completely normal. There are also ways that you can manage your weight so that you feel confident and healthy while avoiding the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases like heart disease and stroke.

During menopause, your oestrogen levels begin to decline. This can cause the build-up of visceral fat (internal fat) around your abdomen. As you age, your metabolism will also slow down. This is the result of losing lean muscle and contributes to some of the weight gain you might experience.^{1, 2}

Everyone will experience menopause differently. If you have symptoms that impact the quality of your life, you might want to address them before you start your weight loss journey. This is because they can affect your physical and mental wellbeing and prevent you from achieving your weight loss goals.²

For example, hot flushes and night sweats might stop you from sleeping and impact your energy levels throughout the day. This will make it difficult to exercise and stick to your goals.

If you’re confident that these symptoms are in control, you can try:

Medicated weight loss options can help lose weight with a balanced diet and exercise.

Products like Wegovy and Mounjaro increase insulin sensitivity, which helps to control your blood sugar levels. The active ingredients in these medicines can also make you feel fuller for longer. Semaglutide (the active ingredient in Wegovy) and tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro) send signals to your brain that help curb cravings.

That’s okay. Losing weight takes time so you might not see results as quickly as you might want to.

The use of medicated weight loss products needs to be accompanied by a healthy diet and physical activity. This combination of approaches will help to put you in a calorie deficit where you are consuming fewer calories than you burn. So, if you haven’t made lifestyle adjustments while using them, you might want to consider adding more exercise and healthier food options into your daily routine so that you begin to lose weight.

Monitoring your progress will help you acknowledge your weight loss even if you’re finding it difficult to see when you look in the mirror.

Taking measurements of your waist or progress pictures might help in tracking your weight loss journey. Although you can weigh yourself too, remember that muscle weighs more than fat. If you’re working out regularly, you may begin to develop more muscle which may mean that you are heavier. This shouldn’t discourage you as physical activity can help keep you strong and maintain your bone density. The number on your scale is not a reflection of your effort or progress.

For some people, weight loss injections and tablets can trigger undesirable side effects. If you are taking a medicated weight loss product you should have regular check-ins with a healthcare professional who will be able to advise you on the best approaches for your needs.

Reviewed by: Mital Thkrar

Review date: March 2024

Next review: March 2027