Will HRT help with peri-menopause weight gain and low libido

[Summertimemadness2026]

I am nearly 50 and pretty sure I am in peri menopause. Periods have become less regular over the last 2 months and I have literally no libido but my worst symptom is that I am getting fat on my hips and stomach which I never had before (always very lean there). I am starting weight training but not sure that's going to help. Will HRT solve the issue?

You will get loads of people saying it caused them to gain weight. However, it prevents abdominal fat gain by restoring oestrogen levels which influences fat redistribution away from the waist.
It won’t help you lose it, or not gain it in the first place, but it will stop it sticking on your waist and hips if you do gain. To prevent weight gain, you sadly need a lot less calories during this stage so need to reduce intake by a couple of hundred of calories a day.

Out of interest, why does HRT cause weight gain?