Understanding the Changes Through Menopause: It’s More Than Hormones
Menopause is often described as “a drop in hormones.” And while changes in oestrogen and progesterone are central, that explanation barely scratches the surface.
What’s really happening is a whole-system transition — involving your ovaries, brain, adrenal glands, liver, and gut — all working together to maintain balance. When one part starts to slow down, the others step in to help. Sometimes beautifully. Sometimes imperfectly.
Understanding this bigger picture helps explain why perimenopause can feel confusing, unpredictable, and exhausting — and why supporting menopause is about far more than “fixing hormones” or "covering up symptoms".
The Producers: Your Ovaries and Hormonal Rhythm
Think of your ovaries as the main producers in your hormonal system.
During your reproductive years, they produce oestrogen, progesterone, and small amounts of testosterone in a steady, rhythmic pattern. This rhythm supports everything from menstrual cycles to bone strength, brain function, mood, metabolism, and skin health.
From around the mid-30s onwards, ovarian function gradually begins to decline. Fewer follicles remain, hormone output becomes less predictable, and ovulation becomes less consistent.
Research shows that ovarian aging is closely linked to oxidative stress — a type of cellular damage that accumulates over time. As the ovaries age, they become less responsive and less reliable in hormone production.
But nature has a backup plan.
The Backup Producers: Adrenal Glands, the HPA Axis, and Oestrogen Pathways
When the ovaries begin to step back, the body doesn’t simply give up.
Your adrenal glands — part of the HPA axis (Hypothalamus–Pituitary–Adrenal axis) — step in to support lower levels of oestrogen production. They do this by producing hormone precursors (like DHEA), which can be converted into oestrogen in various tissues throughout the body, including fat, muscle, and skin.
This backup system helps explain why menopause is a transition, not an overnight switch.
However, there’s a catch.
Your adrenal glands are also responsible for producing stress hormones, like cortisol. Chronic stress — emotional, physical, or mental — puts heavy demand on the same system that’s trying to support your hormonal balance.
When stress is high, the body prioritises survival over hormone harmony.
This is why stress can worsen perimenopausal symptoms — and why rest, recovery, and nervous system support matter more than ever during this stage.
The Leadership Team: Your Brain on Perimenopause
Now let’s talk about leadership.
Your hypothalamus and pituitary gland (part of the HPO axis: Hypothalamus–Pituitary–Ovarian axis) act like the executive team of your hormonal system. They constantly monitor hormone levels and send signals to keep everything on track.
When ovarian hormone output starts to drop or fluctuate, the brain responds by sending stronger, louder signals — increasing hormones like FSH and LH in an attempt to stimulate production.
Sometimes the ovaries respond.
Sometimes they don’t.
Sometimes they over-respond.
This miscommunication is why hormone levels can swing dramatically during perimenopause — and why women often describe this phase as feeling like a roller coaster or like chasing a target that keeps moving.
The Sorting Centre: Your Liver and Hormone Metabolism
We often talk about energy metabolism or blood sugar balance — but hormone metabolism matters just as much.
Once hormones like oestrogen have done their job, they need to be broken down and cleared. This is the liver’s role.
Your liver acts like a sorting centre, processing hormones into metabolites so they can be safely removed from the body.
When the liver is under strain — from alcohol, medications, environmental chemicals, poor sleep, or nutrient deficiencies — this process becomes less efficient. Hormones may be broken down along less favourable pathways, or cleared too slowly.
In some cases, this contributes to a state often referred to as oestrogen dominance — not necessarily too much oestrogen, but an imbalance in how it’s processed.
Supporting liver health is therefore a critical — and often overlooked — part of menopause support.
The Recycling Plant: Your Gut Microbiome and Oestrogen Balance
Finally, we arrive at the recycling plant.
Your gut microbiome contains a special group of bacteria called the estrobolome, which plays a key role in oestrogen balance. These microbes can convert certain oestrogen metabolites back into their active form.
Think of it as recycling a valuable resource that’s becoming increasingly limited.
When gut health is compromised — through poor diet, chronic stress, antibiotic use, reduced microbial diversity, or the natural decline in oestrogen during the menopausal transition — this special group of microorganisms become less abundant, making the recycling system less efficient. It puts extra strain on the body at a time when it is already working hard to fine-tune hormonal balance using every available resource.
This is why gut health is not just about digestion — it’s deeply connected to hormonal balance during menopause.
Menopause: A Pivotal Moment in Female Aging
Menopause is not simply the end of fertility.
It is a biological turning point in a woman’s aging trajectory.
The decline in oestrogen influences bone density, cardiovascular health, muscle mass, skin integrity, brain function, and metabolic resilience. Research consistently shows that the years surrounding menopause are a critical window for influencing long-term health outcomes.
How well a woman navigates this transition has a measurable impact on her health span — not just how long she lives, but how well she lives.
When we view female longevity through the lens of menopause, the message becomes clear: Menopause is not something to “push through.” It is an opportunity to support the systems that sustain balance, resilience, and vitality for decades to come.
When we care for the producers, the leadership team, the sorting centre, and the recycling plant — we support what the body is already designed to do.
And that is where true, healthy aging begins.
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Disclaimer - This content is for general informational purposes only and is not intended to imply benefits of any specific product.
