Menopause and low self esteem

[Ally9143]

Ladies, I wondered how people have found the peri/menopause. I am 37 and I feel like I have aged overnight, my hair is limp, my skin is grey, despite being on HRT I am shattered and have 0 libido. I just don’t feel like myself.

any advice on supplements/lotions/potions because when I try and research online I get abit blind with how many products there are and fake reviews. I’d love to know what worked for people. TIA

I'd just start with a good quality multivitamin and get a blood test at GP to check no deficiencies. If you want to you could try something with biotin which is good for skin and hair. I recently added Lions Mane gummies with B5 and they seem to help a little with mental alertness - no more than a brisk 30m walk does though.

Not related to your question but how is your diet? As this has also been a quick win for me I.e. eating greens every day and having sufficient carb which is great for hair growth and brain function
The brain doesn't store glucose, glucose is essential for hormone synthesis. Protein from meat and lentil sources has also helped a lot with my ferritin stores and energy levels.

37 is pretty young for Peri-menopause. Is that what’s really going on? Have you had tests?

Hi Fordian, yeah I’ve had tests. I started my periods at 8yrs and I have an autoimmune problem which apparently can bring this on earlier. The HRT has worked wonders for me aswell so far, I just can’t stop myself feeling abit ‘dull‘

Thanks for your reply. I have had blood tests and I was slightly vitD deficient so I take a supplement for that.

I probably don’t eat enough meat, especially red meats. Maybe I should try and focus on the diet side and try and come up with a few meals that might help. I just want to feel abit more awake haha

My view is that the 'supplements' are quackery. Exercise does help and is better evidenced in research, weight training benefits middle aged women. I found swimming then yoga got me through some of the meh. Now I'm trying learning new skills and joining groups to pep me up a bit.

I agree with @Summerhillsquare
The vitamin 'industry' is just that and focuses on creating a 'need' that no one really needs unless they have a very deficient diet.
Except Vit D.

Are you doing the very basics like at least 30-45 mins a day of aerobic exercise?
Are you getting 7-10 portions of fruit and veg a day?
I don't see the benefit of eating more red meat unless you've had iron deficiency picked up.

A good quality multivitamin has been shown to be beneficial. Centrum or similar. What isn't necessary is spending a fortune on special supplements.

I can only really tolerate vitamin D and K2 - K2 helps absorption. I use the Better You spray.