Over 50 & Struggling With Food Cravings? MD-Approved Ways To Manage Appetite

Do you ever find yourself watching the clock as it gets close to mealtimes? Are you often short-tempered, shaky, or hangry in the hour before a meal? Have you noticed your friends and family seem to dodge you three times a day and only come out of hiding after you've eaten?

This was me in the years leading up to menopause. I was 243 pounds, and I was hangry. If you can relate, you may be wondering, "Is this increase in appetite an effect of menopause, or is it my imagination?" And if it is a real thing, why does it happen in the first place?

In the beginning stages of menopause, your body undergoes a series of changes all at once. One common change that many women experience is a ravenous appetite. It doesn't matter how much you've eaten or exercised that day. You are hungry and you need food now. So, yes, menopause does influence our appetite. However, knowing that doesn't prevent late-night hunger pangs.

The sex hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone fluctuate before, during, and after menopause. Two lesser-known hormones called ghrelin and leptin1 control the signals that tell our body whether we are hungry or full. These two hormones also undergo changes during menopause. Ghrelin2 originates in your stomach. It passes through the bloodstream and into the brain to signal that your stomach is empty and it's time to eat. We call this feeling hunger. Leptin3 does the opposite. It's made in your fat cells, and its primary job is to let your brain know when you've got plenty of fat available for fuel.

A 2009 study4 of 40 pre-, post-, and perimenopausal women found that the levels of ghrelin increased in some women during midlife, while at the same time, their levels of leptin declined. In other words, their hunger hormones shot up just as their "I've-eaten-enough" hormone levels went down.

This is part of the reason that many women gain weight during perimenopause and menopause5 and have a corresponding increased risk of stroke and heart disease6.

Cortisol (a stress hormone) and insulin (a hormone that regulates blood sugar) can also contribute to midlife hunger pangs.

While they may not be directly associated with menopause, insulin and cortisol can become off-balance in midlife. Research shows that this, too, can contribute to an increase in appetite7. That wouldn't be so bad if you developed a craving for leafy green vegetables. Unfortunately, these cravings usually send us straight to the cookie jar as we look for easy-to-digest, simple carbohydrates.

Insulin and cortisol are like the bookend hormones that control blood sugar and stress. And unfortunately, in our modern Western society, most women have accumulated significant cortisol dysfunction8 by the time they reach midlife. What's more, because cortisol and insulin levels are not routinely checked in mainstream medicine, many doctors are unaware of the relationship between these hormones and appetite changes in midlife women. That makes it difficult for them to offer any meaningful help.

Your body is desperate to protect itself from danger, so it attempts to balance out-of-control cortisol by having you consume more sugar. Of course, in the long run, this response is a short-term fix with disastrous long-term consequences.

I call this the blood sugar roller coaster, and I was on it when I weighed 243 lbs. I couldn't stop eating cakes, cookies, ice cream, chocolate—all the high-sugar, quick-carb junk. I should have known better. I did know better. Every day I told myself, "no sugar today," and every day I failed. The solution is to get off this amusement park ride once and for all. And don''t buy another ticket!

Instead of eating on the run, make mealtime an event. Sit down and stop working while you eat. Take several deep breaths in and out to amp up your vagus nerve, calm the mind, and aid with digestion.

If you find yourself ravenous either before, during, or after menopause, your hormones may be to blame. By making some simple lifestyle and food habit changes, you can balance the major metabolic hormones and regain control of your appetite and life.