Is there a connection between menopause and cellulite?

Menopause is a time in life that fifty percent of us are acquainted with, or will eventually become familiar with when you reach the age of fifty, or perhaps a few years before or after this time.

It is natural to assume that all its effects on our bodies have been fully researched and are now understood, but this is not the case.

There remain a number of aspects of the menopause period that warrant additional investigation and the link between menopause and cellulite is one of these areas.

For those of you who are not yet familiar with the issue of cellulite, this is a name applied by experts in the health and beauty field to accumulations of fat that develop beneath the skin giving it an uneven and very unsightly appearance. Although this condition also affects men it has become particularly associated with women, not least because they are more likely to be concerned over their appearance and seek ways of dealing with the problem.

Importantly though, it has been discovered that the subcutaneous fat layers in women are larger than men's, and a different shape. The effect of that is that men don't store a lot of fat in theirs, and it doesn't push through and create cellulite, which it does with women. Also, the two hormones that have an impact on cellulite, estrogen and folliculine (an estrogen hormone secreted by the ovary), are dominant in women.

Cellulite has been linked to lack of exercise and unhealthy diet. There is some evidence that it might be linked to genetic factors. Alternative medicine specialists have postulated that a link exists between cellulite build ups and a high level of toxins in the body. A connection between cellulite and the changes the body undergoes during the menopause has also been suggested. The menopause period is characterized by a major increase in hormone activity leading to a hormone imbalance that may be associated with increasing fat levels. In addition, the slowing down of the metabolism, and estrogen dominance, leads to weight gain. This can particularly be an issue with some women taking primarily estrogen in hormone replacement therapy.

In menopause too, there is a thinning of the skin, and this reveals cellulite that was previously covered over.

While the menopause process is effectively beyond our control, there are measures that can be taken to deal with its unwelcome cellulite side effect. Keeping in good shape becomes even more important at this time. Regular exercise can help you keep cellulite under control and it brings many other health benefits in its wake. In addition, hormone supplements can assist the fight against cellulite, although they can also make cellulite worse. I discuss HRT and cellulite here. The struggle to break the cellulite and menopause link also involves making significant diet improvements such as reducing the intake of food with heavy fat content and increasing your intake of nutrient and protein-rich foods.