Midlife Glow Up: Fifty, Nifty and Thriving!

Midlife Glow Up: Fifty, Nifty and Thriving!

By Drew Mulvey

Hormones and What is Happening in your Body

You’re a little bit more on edge, pain is increased, you’re fatiguing quicker, sleep has been a little bit of a challenge and your metabolism is changing. Welcome to the wonderful world of changing hormones in midlife. Why is this such a big deal?

During this time, two key hormones start to decrease: progesterone and estrogen. These are not only responsible for reproductive health but for bone mass, healthy cholesterol levels (estrogen increases HDL levels) and neurotransmitter production (estrogen aids in serotonin production while progesterone dopamine production). Each is incredibly important for mood, focus, sleep and bone growth. Growth hormone production also starts to decrease, making it harder to maintain and build muscle. In fact, after the third decade of life, this decreases around 15% every decade after.

Why should we take this to heart? Lowered estrogen and progesterone levels can lead to symptoms that could mimic ADHD; sleep disturbances; a lack of patience as dopamine levels are in charge of your focus, mood and sleep; and serotonin affecting your well-being. In fact, the term “patience is a virtue” resonates a little closer at this age as the ability to exercise this “virtue” is decreased.  Lowered estrogen levels can also affect skin tone as it contributes to skin elasticity, which can really affect our mental well-being. On top of the wear and tear of all the stressors, our skin can truly feel the effects.

This shift can also come with decreased muscle tone, insulin resistance impacting weight management, amplified stress and a lot more fatigue.  Does that mean that we must be a prisoner to these changes? Absolutely not. There are some measures we can take to thrive in our fifties.

Skin Care

Let’s look at the underlying biology. As we age, skin loses hydration, elasticity, has less turnover and can be affected by oxidative species generated from the compounded effect of stress.  Hydration will be key for that inner glow. Drinking enough water and providing moisture from quality body butters helps (with ingredients we can pronounce). Another way to add moisture back to the skin is to include products containing hyaluronic acid, which can provide extra plumpness and firmness. 

Other popular supplements are collagen supplements and biotin. Supporting your gut by adding particular foods can help the body naturally synthesize biotin. For collagen supplements, look for a multi-collagen supplement as it contains all five forms of collagen. 

Stress Management

Decreased estrogen levels and increased cortisol levels may diminish your body’s ability to cope with physical and psychological stress. That doesn’t sound like fun. Here are some lifestyle modifications to support your mind, body and spirit. 

Self-Care

Think about the things that make you tick. Taking that time out during the day to incorporate those things not only can help you to handle life’s stress more effectively but is also beneficial for those around you. Taking care of yourself is one of the least selfish things that you can do. This is a time when your cup needs to be filled. Whether it be escaping in nature, reading a good book, lighting a candle while sipping on tea or just being present, be sure to incorporate it.

Frequency Healing

This has been a new one added to a list of alternative therapies that can support stress levels. Certain frequencies can provide stress relief and calm the nervous system. In a recent double blind, placebo-controlled study done on nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic, those exposed to music with frequencies at 432 and 440 Hz examined a statistically significant decrease in systolic blood pressure, increase in productivity and decrease in parameters of anxiety.

Strength Training 

With decreased levels of growth hormone and estrogen, it is harder for the body to make and retain muscle. Muscle is incredibly important for energy production, protects the body from injury and is a significant contributor to a healthy metabolism. What can we do to counteract this? Adding strength training into our exercise routines helps.

Typically, at least three strength sessions per week can suffice when every muscle is worked during the week. Incorporating compound movements such as squats, dead lifts, bench press and rows add significant benefit as they work multiple muscles and joints. You can do a three-day split including one lower body day, one upper body day and one total body day. When you lift, according to studies, anywhere from 6-15 repetitions can be beneficial for muscle development and strength. In particular, six to eight repetitions may increase maximal strength, while the 10-15 range may produce greater lean mass gains. Regardless, any repetition range that is challenging will yield muscle gains. (Please focus on proper form before lifting heavier weights.) 

Supportive Nutrients

Feeding your body the right fuel during this transition will make it much easier on the body. As mentioned above, the body is a little less insulin-sensitive, a little more stressed and probably more inflamed. With these in mind, here are some nutrients to support that shift. 

Antioxidants and probiotic-rich foods 

Usually these are talked about separately, but they actually go hand in hand. Specific antioxidants known as polyphenols not only help to decrease inflammation in the body and protect it from oxidative damage, but they can also act as a direct fuel source for beneficial probiotics that serve to improve digestion, immunity and even mood. Specific bacterial strains fed by these antioxidants can produce compounds that keep the gut lining intact, decrease inflammation further, and generate precursors to your GABA and serotonin, which are both involved in mood regulation. In fact, a study showed that certain bacterial strains generate compounds known as short chain fatty acids, which can act on an enzyme tryptophan 5-hydroxylase to increase the production of serotonin. These are also important for glowing skin as they decrease the effects of increased oxidative stress. Pairing antioxidants and probiotic-rich foods in complex meals composed of proteins, fats, carbs, and colorful and non-starchy vegetables can also promote better blood sugar regulation. 

Sources of polyphenols include cloves, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, berries (blackberries, blueberries, cranberries), black currants, coffee, green tea, flaxseeds, pomegranate and red wine. Yogurt, kefir, kombucha, pickled vegetables, sauerkraut, kimchi, tofu and tempeh are sources of probiotics.

Adaptogens

These compounds are key to helping the body adapt to the stressors placed on it. Adaptogens have the potential to balance gut function and support the stress response, especially cortisol production. They are also helpful for blood sugar regulation. Ashwagandha, rhodiola and eleuthero are examples of favorite adaptogens. Some foods have adaptogenic properties and are incredibly supportive for hormonal balance, including spices such as turmeric, cinnamon and ginger, as well as herbs like licorice. In studies, maca has induced a reduction in symptoms and increase in hormones at a ~2 g dose per day.

Meeting Energy Needs

With this insulin resistance and lower metabolism, practitioners commonly see people dropping their caloric intake significantly to make up for the changing metabolism, and sometimes it can go too far. Cutting calories ridiculously low is not the answer. This not only slows metabolism, but it places a significant stressor on a body that is already stressed. Want to know how to nourish your body? Here is a general equation to figure out how much you need: BMR + TEF + NEAT + Activity. For a healthy deficit, decrease by 250 – 500 calories to ensure metabolism is supported. 

Drew Mulvey, MS, CDN, CNS, CLT, PNL1 CISN, is a board-certified nutrition specialist and certified integrative sports nutritionist. She helps youth and young adult athletes overcome disordered eating and autoimmune conditions through comprehensive plans, integrative nutrition and alternative lab testing.