Tune In: How Hormones Influence Skin Health Through Menopause & More

“ Skin is our magic mirror. It's an outer reflection of our overall health,” says naturopathic doctor, skin care specialist, and menopause advocate Trevor Cates, N.D., founder of The Spa Dr.  

In this episode of mindbodygreen’s beauty podcast Clean Beauty School, I talk with repeat guest Cates about how internal hormonal fluctuations manifest as external changes—especially for women going through perimenopause and menopause. 

For example, “ The hormone progesterone starts to decline first, and that can start happening as early as a woman's mid to late thirties.” Women may notice that their skin doesn’t look as refreshed or plump as it once was—those hollow under eye circles are more noticeable and the furrow on their brow is more permanent. 

“ As women get later into menopause, they might start to notice more dramatic changes—wrinkles, elasticity, and the tone of the skin looks different,” she says. “That’s because the drop in estrogen and progesterone is even more significant—plus probably a drop in testosterone as well.” 

So, that’s a very abridged version of what’s happening internally and its unfortunate external side effects (you’ll want to tune in to get a fuller picture of women’s hormonal health). But now onto what can be done about it. Because rest assured, “you do not have to suffer—symptoms are signs that something is out of balance.” 

Food is the starting point for hormonal health. The body uses nutrients from our meals as raw materials to create, regulate, and balance hormones. Without enough of the right building blocks, it’s harder for the body to maintain equilibrium.

“When we look at food, we want to make sure we’re getting nutrients that support our health, like plenty of protein. We need protein to make our hormones,” she says. 

Most active women will want to consume 0.7-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. While it depends on body weight and activity level, most women will want to aim to eat at least 100 grams of protein a day—split across at least three meals (with 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal). There's also compelling research to show that consuming sufficient protein can help women gain strength, combat inflammation, and avoid insulin resistance—things commonly affected during midlife. 

Protein is just one piece of the picture. The body also relies on healthy fats to regulate hormones, absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and keep inflammation in check.

“We also need healthy fats, like omega-3 fatty acids from wild Alaskan salmon. Those help us produce hormones,” she says. Nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocados are also great sources that deliver steady energy and help stabilize blood sugar.

Finally, getting a wide variety of antioxidants is equally important, notes Cates.

Sometimes food alone isn’t enough. As we age, digestion naturally slows, making it harder to break down and absorb nutrients from even the healthiest meals. 

“That’s when nutritional supplements become important—because we’re not breaking down and absorbing nutrients from food as well as we used to,” she says. “Part of what we may need is gut health support to improve absorption. Digestive enzymes or probiotics can be helpful so we get the most out of our food.”

Beyond absorption, supplements can also help fill common nutritional gaps for women in midlife. “B vitamins may also be lacking, along with vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids,” she says.

The other foundation for hormone health? A good night’s rest—which ironically becomes harder to get during hormone fluctuations, creating a vicious cycle. 

“With perimenopause, there are hormonal changes that happen. The first shift is a drop in progesterone, and we need progesterone to help us with sleep,” she says. Then they notice they’re not sleeping as well or not easing into sleep as easily.” 

“When estrogen is declining, women may experience hot flashes and night sweats, which can keep them up at night and interfere with sleep,” she says. Indeed, research shows that hot flashes and night sweats can impact sleep quality. 

Of course, all of this has very real impacts on our skin: “Missing a good night’s sleep here and there may not be the end of the world—we might notice a little puffiness, especially under the eyes—but long-term poor sleep takes a toll. Ongoing disruption has a real impact on our health, including our skin.”