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Why Women Bloat: Finding the best supplements for menopause bloating
Bloating is a common complaint in society, studies reporting it affects between 15% to 30% of people. It’s an uncomfortable condition that affects as many as 75% of women at various stages of their lives. This is particularly so during hormonal transitions such as menstruation, pregnancy and menopause bloating. Despite its prevalence, bloating remains misunderstood and often dismissed. And so, when looking for the best supplements for menopause bloating it’s important to understand why exactly women bloat. This article explores what bloating is, symptoms of a bloating stomach, and why women bloat more than men. Relevant scientific studies are also reviewed to provide an evidence-based understanding of why this is important when selecting the best supplements for menopause bloating.
What is Bloating
Bloating is a frequently reported symptom in functional bowel disorders. In addition, hormonal changes and the start of perimenopause can often be accompanied by significant bloating and also a time when many women will want to find the best way to beat the bloat and that can include finding the best supplements for menopause bloating.
So what are the symptoms of bloating? Bloating occurs when the abdomen feels full, tight, or distended. It’s a subjective sensation of trapped gas in the abdomen that produces pressure and a feeling of fullness and, in some people the abdomen will protrude. It can be accompanied by discomfort, pain, and visible swelling. While occasional bloating is normal, persistent or severe bloating may be a signal of hormonal changes or underlying health issues and should be investigated with a healthcare practioner.
What Causes Bloating
When considering the best supplements for menopause bloating it’s important to understand why women bloat.
The pathophysiology of bloating, however, remains ambiguous and a number of mechanisms are suggested, these include: excessive intestinal gas accumulation, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, abnormal gut microbiota, altered gut motility, impaired gas handling, fluid retention, abnormal abdominal-diaphragmatic reflexes, visceral hypersensitivity, food intolerance, malabsorption of carbohydrates, constipation and hard stools, increased in lumbar lordosis, role of sex hormones, and psychological factors.
With so many potential causes it’s important to understand what triggers your bloating. For women, typically aged 40+ (but can be younger) it’s likely that sex hormones are playing a role in your bloating and you’re in the right place to find the best menopause supplements for bloating.
Bloating Stomach – Common Symptoms
Bloating can manifest in several ways, and understanding its symptoms is crucial for identifying the underlying causes before considering the best bloating solution.
Bloating usually occurs in combination with other symptoms, but may also occur in isolation. Symptoms can vary in intensity and duration. Studies report that the severity of bloating tends to worsen during the course of the day and improves overnight.
Bloating is strongly associated with abdominal pain. More than one-half of respondents who reported weekly epigastric pain (71.39%), nausea (59.7%), or abdominal pain (61.69%) also reported bloating at least once per week.
Common symptoms include:
- Abdominal fullness and tightness, or visible swelling of the abdomen
The most common bloating symptom is a feeling of fullness or tightness in the abdomen. This sensation can often be uncomfortable. Many individuals describe it as if their stomach has expanded, leading to visible distension that can be distressing. Sometimes, this feeling is accompanied by a noticeable increase in waist size, making it challenging to wear fitted clothing comfortably.
- Gas and flatulence
Another typical bloating symptom is excessive gas. This can result in flatulence or belching, which can be socially embarrassing. Gas production is a normal part of digestion; however, when it becomes excessive, it can indicate that something is amiss within the digestive system. Individuals may experience audible sounds from the abdomen, often referred to as borborygmi, which can add to the discomfort. In some cases, this may be coupled with abdominal cramps and a sense of urgency to relieve oneself.
- Stomach cramps, discomfort or changes in bowel movements (constipation or diarrhoea)
Bloating stomach symptoms may also include changes in bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhoea. These changes can exacerbate the feeling of bloating.
It’s important to pay attention to these symptoms as they can provide valuable information about diet and overall digestive health.
Who Does Bloating Affect
Bloating is common the world over. Studies in America and Asia report bloating may affect between 15% to 30% of people. A 2023 global study found that almost 18% of the general population experience bloating at least once per week. The study reported that bloating stomach is less common in older age groups and is more common in women, with women twice as likely (approx) as men to report bloating.
Bloating is not fully understood to date, but can affect anyone, and menopause bloating is not unusual. Bloating is particularly common in women due to hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. Statistics indicate that approximately 75% of women experience bloating at some point, with many reporting it as a frequent symptom.
This irritating digestive complaint is typically present in several organic and functional diseases of digestive system such as functional dyspepsia (indigestion), functional bloating and functional constipation.
Gas-related abdominal symptoms are also typical in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (I.B.S.) and can have a measurable impact on daily life.
Keeping a record of bloating symptoms, including the type, frequency and duration of symptoms is important when considering the best supplements for menopause bloating.
In addition to hormonal changes, diet can also be a common factor and changing diet or lifestyle habits can be effective in easing symptoms.
For example bloating accompanied by constipation could be eased by increasing dietary fibre. If this is difficult to do so by diet then topping up with quality fibre supplements can be a convenient and effective solution.
Keeping a food diary could help identify any potential malabsorption of carbohydrates or food intolerances.
Why Do Women Bloat
A 2011 study related gastrointestinal orders to ovary function and noted that the prevalence of visceral pain disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gallbladder and biliary tract diseases are significantly higher in women.
The study reported that symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, distension, satiety, bloating, diarrhoea or constipation, frequently appears in relation with pregnancy, the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and during perimenopause and menopause.
Hormonal & Menopause Bloating Stomach:
- Menstruation: Hormonal changes during the luteal phase can cause fluid retention and bloating stomach.
- Pregnancy: The growing uterus and hormonal shifts can slow digestion, leading to bloating.
- Menopause: Reduced estrogen levels can impact gut motility and increase gas production. With significant changes happening in the body around menopause it can be useful to take a targeted approach to ensure the most appropriate and best solution. So when considering the best supplements for menopause bloating it can be useful to also ensure you’re supporting gut health with (1) fibre (2) prebiotics, and (3) probiotics.
Certain female specific medical conditions can also cause bloating stomach, including endometriosis and ovarian cysts, so if you have persistent bloating it’s important to rule these conditions out with your healthcare provider.
Food Digestion
As the body ages this can also affect the level of digestive enzymes in the body- enzymes help break down food after we eat.
Digestive enzymes reduce with age and can also be impacted in times of illness and stress. Many women find supplementing with Digestive Enzymes can be a useful addition when selecting the best supplements for menopause bloating.
Bloating Stomach: The difference between men and women
Disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) predominate in women, but little is known about sex differences in menses-related or menopause bloating symptoms.
So a recent global study across 26 countries set out to examine how digestive issues differ between men and women, focusing on conditions where the gut and brain interact, such as functional bloating, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), functional dyspepsia (indigestion), functional constipation, and functional diarrhoea.
The study of 14,570 men and women found that women generally experience these digestive problems more frequently than men. Pre menopause women reported more sensitivity to internal discomfort, while post menopause women experienced more issues related to bowel control.
These findings suggest that female hormones may influence how women perceive gut discomfort and manage bowel functions.
Additionally, both younger women and men reported more symptoms than older individuals, indicating that age also plays a role in these digestive issues.
Study Findings:
- Men tended to report fewer digestive symptoms overall compared to women.
- Women were more likely than men to experience symptoms of IBS and functional dyspepsia (indigestion).
- Pre menopause women reported greater sensitivity to internal discomfort, such as bloating and abdominal pain.
- Post menopause women experienced more issues related to bowel control, such as urgency, accidental stool leakage and incomplete bowel movements.
- Both younger women and men reported more symptoms than older individuals, suggesting that age plays a role in these conditions.
- IBS and functional dyspepsia (indigestion) had the most menstruation-associated symptoms.
- Only premenopausal IBS, functional dyspepsia (indigestion) and functional constipation women reported increased constipation-associated symptoms.
The study concluded that while age alone has some influence on symptoms, female hormones likely influence how women experience gut-related discomfort and manage bowel control. The symptoms in postmenopausal women also indicate greater rectum/pelvic dysfunction in women post menopause.
These findings highlight the need to consider hormonal and age-related factors when treating digestive issues in women, particularly around menopause bloating. This understanding can lead to better, more personalized bloating remedies for both women and men and when considering the best supplements for menopause bloating.
Best Supplements for Menopause Bloating
Meno Weight is a popular with our Pretty Pea customers – they like it as it’s an all-in-one supplement and is one of the best supplements for menopause bloating.
Best Supplements for Menopause Bloating
References
Review article: the treatment of functional abdominal bloating and distension – PubMed
Abdominal bloating: pathophysiology and treatment – PubMed
Bloating and functional gastro-intestinal disorders: where are we and where are we going? – PubMed
Review article: bloating in functional bowel disorders – PubMed
Ovarian function and gastrointestinal motor activity – PubMed
