Author: Bob Brensel | President, Pharmacist | ScriptWorks
Bob Brensel, RPh, earned his Pharmacy Degree at University of the Pacific in Stockton, California in 1980. Former California Pharmacists Association’s Award Winner for Recognition of Outstanding Achievement in Compounding Pharmacy. Read More →
Menopause is a natural phase of life that often brings significant hormonal shifts. One of the most common challenges faced by women during this time is weight gain, which affects approximately 70% of menopausal women. Beyond aesthetics, this weight gain often correlates with changes in body composition, such as increased abdominal fat and reduced muscle mass, which carry broader health implications.
ScriptWorks Pharmacy supports both patients and healthcare providers by offering innovative compounded medications to address these challenges.
Understanding Menopause and Weight Gain
Understanding Menopause and Weight Gain
- Cardiovascular disease: The leading cause of death among women.
- Type 2 diabetes: Linked to insulin resistance and abdominal fat accumulation.
- Dyslipidemia: Characterized by abnormal cholesterol and lipid levels.
- Fatty liver disease: Metabolic dysfunction-associated conditions that can lead to more severe liver complications.
Addressing weight gain and these cardiometabolic risks is essential for maintaining long-term health. Strategies often include a combination of lifestyle adjustments, hormonal therapy, and medications to support weight management goals.
GLP-1 Receptor Agonists and Hormonal Interactions
GLP-1 is a hormone that the central nervous system, intestine, and pancreas naturally produce. It is released in response to the intake of fats and carbohydrates. GLP-1 may play a role in increasing insulin secretion, reducing glucagon release, slowing gastric emptying, and decreasing food consumption.
Some research suggests it could also influence food reward behaviors. Its potential to suppress appetite appears to stem from its activity in the hypothalamus and brainstem—areas of the brain also associated with the appetite-modulating effects of estrogen.
- Increasing insulin secretion
- Reducing glucagon release
- Slowing gastric emptying
- Suppressing appetite by acting on the brain’s hypothalamus and brainstem
FDA-approved GLP-1 receptor agonists and dual agonists, semaglutide, are available for use in weight management, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular risk reduction.
Semaglutide and Hormone Replacement Therapy
Using hormone replacement therapy alongside semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, may support greater total body weight loss and improvements in cardiometabolic health. A recent retrospective review looked at weight loss and cardiometabolic changes in post-menopausal women taking semaglutide with and without hormone therapy. Over three, six, nine, and 12 months, women using hormone therapy lost about 30% more total body weight compared to those not on hormone therapy. Both groups saw improvements in cardiometabolic markers, including reductions in fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Reward Eating, GLP-1, and Estrogen
Reward eating has two parts: “liking” and “wanting.” Liking is how much you enjoy the taste of food, while “wanting” is the craving you feel when something makes you think about a certain food, pushing you to get it.
Research shows that women may respond more strongly than men to a long-acting GLP-1 medication that affects food cravings, likely because it activates a specific estrogen receptor in the brain. This stronger effect in women was mostly seen in the “wanting” part of eating, while both men and women showed less “liking” for food.
When a medication was used to block this estrogen receptor, the GLP-1 medication’s effect on food cravings and enjoyment was reduced in both men and women. This suggests that estrogen may be an important factor in how GLP-1 medications affect eating habits.
Personalized Care and the Role of Compounded Medications
Compounded medications offer personalized approaches for patients navigating menopause and related health challenges like weight gain. For instance, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) and sublingual formulations of semaglutide specially made by ScriptWorks pharmacy, provide for CA females’ specific needs.
By combining therapies such as GLP-1 agonists with hormone replacement options, healthcare providers and patients may address weight, as well as broader health goals.
ScriptWorks: The East Bay’s Most Trusted Compounding Pharmacy
ScriptWorks Pharmacy is here to help CA patients and practitioners explore options that address menopause’s multifaceted challenges, from menopause and weight gain to overall health. With a focus on personalized services and targeted approaches to medication, we’re committed to supporting you with confidence and care.
We proudly serve California statewide, with shipping/delivery options available.