Nutritional Considerations for Implementing a Vegan Diet for Perimenopausal and Post-Menopausal Women as a Form of Non-hormonal Therapy

The menopause is a natural transition that nearly all women experience around 52 years of age. This is caused by a decline in the hormone oestrogen, causing the menstrual cycle to eventually stop. This hormonal decline, typically lasting four to twelve years, can lead to menopausal symptoms such as poor sleep, mood changes, muscle & joint pain, brain fog and hot flushes. Menopausal symptoms can be alleviated and even eradicated through changes in diet. Over the past decade, veganism has risen in popularity for ethical, health, environmental and moral reasons. Following a vegan diet has been shown to reduce the risk of developing health issues that are common during the menopause, such as obesity, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Vegan menopausal women typically report less bothersome symptoms than omnivores, consequently, more studies are now emerging trialling a vegan diet as a form of non-hormonal therapy to treat menopausal symptoms. As a result, the purpose of this review is to provide nutritional considerations for menopausal women who may be considering a vegan diet. Current evidence suggests that protein, essential nutrients vitamins B12 and D₃, omega 3 fatty acids and minerals calcium, iron, zinc, iodine and selenium should be prioritised. In addition, the risk of obesity is prevalent during the menopausal transition due to the decline in sex steroids reducing basal metabolism. Therefore, a focus on energy balance and appropriate and carefully monitored energy deficits are of utmost importance to meet individual needs to achieve a healthy weight.