Post Menopause Obesity Explanation As To Why It Happens And Role of Medicinal Plants.

#Tejasvani knowledge desk

Menopause, a natural biological stage in a woman’s life, marks the cessation of menstruation and the end of reproductive capacity. This phase, typically occurring between the ages of 40 and 58, is primarily characterized by a decline in estrogen levels and ovarian function depletion (Newson, 2018). In addition, menopause can be induced surgically through ovary removal or result from radiation or chemotherapy (Zhu et al., 2016). Post-menopause refers to the period when a woman has experienced 12 consecutive months without menstruation following her final menstrual cycle. This phase is often associated with various health concerns due to low estrogen levels, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, and notably, obesity or weight gain (Dalal and Agarwal, 2015; Nappi and Cucinella, 2020). Estrogen plays a crucial role in regulating fat distribution in the body by influencing insulin sensitivity in the liver, pancreas, and skeletal muscles, as well as the differentiation of white adipose tissue (WAT) and the induction of thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT).

López and Tena-Sempere, 2015). The estrogen deficiency during menopause leads to an imbalance between food intake and energy expenditure, resulting in increased energy storage and altered body fat distribution, particularly the accumulation of visceral fat (Butera, 2010). Post-menopausal women tend to have higher amounts of visceral body fat than their pre-menopausal counterparts. This excessive visceral fat is linked to insulin resistance and inflammation, contributing to metabolic disorders such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (Ko and Jung, 2021). Furthermore, there is a positive correlation between obesity and an elevated incidence of invasive breast cancer among postmenopausal women (Qureshi et al., 2020).

Reproductive hormones are typically produced in the ovaries and are essential for maintaining female sex characteristics as well as fertility, pregnancy, and the menstrual cycle. Therefore, the OVX mice are commonly used to assess the effects of all medicinal plants and their bioactive components on weight gain and metabolic profiles. This procedure induces biochemical changes in menopause, and it helps investigate the long-term effects of reduced estrogen levels (Rodríguez-Landa, 2022).

The uterus, comprising various cell types, including smooth muscle, stroma, glandular, and luminal epithelia, plays a crucial role in regulating circulating estrogen and progesterone levels to control morphological changes. Uterine ERα is particularly important in mediating the effects of estrogen (Cheon et al., 2009). In OVX mice, the surgical removal of ovaries leads to thinning of the uterus due to reduced estrogen production. The disrupted translation of uterine estrogen receptors results in impaired regulation of lipid metabolism. Nevertheless, the weight of the uterus and the expression of ERα/ERβ in the uterus was enhanced in post-menopausal obese mice after LC extract treatment. Furthermore, granulosa cells in the follicles of mammalian ovaries continue to release more estrogen as the follicles develop (Kono et al., 2014). The mouse ERα mRNA expression in the murine uterus and estradiol production in COV434 granulosa cells were both enhanced by the CO and Ribes fasciculatum Siebold & Zucc. (RF) combination (CO + RF) extract. Hence, the administration of medicinal plants may promote estrogen-like activity and prevent ovariectomy-induced uterine atrophy by upregulating mouse ERα (ESR1) and ERβ (ESR2) (Jing Liu et al 2025).

In pre-menopausal women, ovarian-produced estrogen influences adipose tissue distribution by downregulating androgen receptors, promoting subcutaneous fat expansion while inhibiting visceral fat development. However, post-menopausal women experience a sharp decline in estrogen levels due to cessation of ovarian function. This reduction impairs estrogen receptor activation, leading to increased metabolic risks, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and systemic inflammation. These changes, combined with the downregulation of beta-oxidation genes, result in an excess of free fatty acids that cannot be efficiently utilized for energy production

Medicinal plants as a potential source of phytoestrogens

Phytoestrogens are a diverse group of non-steroidal compounds of plant origin or biologically derived from plant precursors, are structurally similar to the primary female sex hormone, E2 (Yokosuka et al., 2021). Four phenolic compounds identified as phytoestrogens are isoflavones, stilbenes, coumestans, and lignans. Phytoestrogens act as mild estrogen agonists that target certain receptors and cell types via ERα, ERβ, and other signaling pathways. Thus, with estrogen-like effects, phytoestrogens increase estrogen levels in the body and provide post-menopausal women with a practical alternative to synthetic HRT, which has certain side effects. Plant-based estrogen can reduce the risk of clotting and alleviate menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and osteoporosis, and many women have begun to use phytoestrogen supplements (Franco et al., 2016). Furthermore, exposure to phytoestrogens can reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity, MetS, type 2 diabetes mellitus, brain function disorders, breast cancer, and other malignancies, including prostate and colorectal cancers. However, the potential hormonerelated side effects of phytoestrogen treatment, such as endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial cancer, and breast cancer, remain uncertain.