Menopause specific workouts - evidence based or girls gone wrong
Discover how embracing exercise in menopause isn't about one-size-fits-all solutions but about tuning into what makes you feel your best
Menopause workout programs have taken the social media fitness world by storm recently, with celebrities like Davina McCall being more vocal about fitness routines to address the unique needs of individuals going through perimenopause and menopause. In many ways, her advocacy and public sharing of her own experiences have helped bring attention to the benefits of exercise during menopause, making workouts more popular among those in these stages of life.
However, with this rise in ‘awareness’ also comes issues.
A commentary from RAND emphasises that historically, medical sciences have treated men and women as interchangeable subjects, with a bias towards men's health in funding and research. This approach neglects the unique health issues faced by women (and those navigating as non binary and trans), missing out on crucial scientific exploration and potential returns on investment. Diseases that predominantly affect ovary holders are dramatically underfunded, and even a slight increase in funding for this type of health research could unlock significant economic and health benefits.
The Menopause Research & Education Fund also notes that despite the universal experience of menopause for those born with ovaries, the amount of money spent on menopause research is minimal. In the UK, less than 3% of the National Institute for Health Research's budget is allocated to studies related to menopause. This gap in knowledge and funding impacts the management of symptoms and the understanding of long-term health effects.
Cue the snack oil.
The lack of comprehensive research into menopause creates fertile ground for a "snake oil effect," where the vacuum of validated medical advice and treatments is filled with a plethora of unverified, overhyped solutions. In this environment, products and remedies promising miraculous relief from menopausal symptoms can proliferate unchecked, appealing to the desperation of those seeking relief. Without rigorous scientific studies to separate effective treatments from baseless claims, individuals are left navigating a maze of potentially ineffective, misleading, or even harmful "cures."
The fitness industry is no different. Over the weekend I had an email from Girls Gone Strong - a personal training education company that claims to be evidence based and trial blaze for woman’s health. The email contained this:
Is there such a thing as a menopause-specific training program? And how is this supposed to differ from other training programs? That’s what this deep dive will look to establish.
The claim of this programs, and many others like it, is that it is designed for safety and maximum effectiveness (that takes into account all of the physiological changes that happen during menopause). Going as far as to say it is as ‘close to a magic pill’ as you can get. Which kind of makes my skin crawl a little bit.
A pay wall is now in affect. It takes many hours to read and digest these research papers so for the price of buying me an expensive coffee, you can unlock access to the rest of this piece.