Perimenopause

If you have questions about perimenopause, then this is the place for you.

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Perimenopause means 'around the menopause'. It is the time in a woman's life before and after her periods stop where she experiences symptoms relating to fluctuating and then low levels of hormones estradiol, progesterone and testosterone.

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Symptoms can occur 5-10 years prior to menopause, which is the point in time when a woman's periods have stopped for 12 months. Significant body composition changes start at least 8 years prior to menopause and continue for at least 4-10 years post menopause. These changes include a decrease in muscle mass and bone mass and an increase in visceral fat. These changes are hormonally driven and due to changes in metabolism.