MENOPAUSE

YOUR NEXT CHAPTER IN LIFE

Menopause doesn’t define you, and it certainly doesn’t limit you. It’s a natural stage of life, and with the right support and understanding, it can be a time to reconnect with your body and feel fully in control of your health and wellbeing.

WHAT IS MENOPAUSE?

Menopause is a major turning point in a woman’s life. It's not just the end of periods, but a whole-body transition that can affect your mood, memory, sleep, skin, and more. It's driven by a gradual decline in oestradiol (a form of oestrogen), which typically begins in your 40s and continues beyond your final period. This shift can bring a range of physical and emotional changes, from sleep disruption and brain fog to mood changes and hot flushes.¹

While conversations around menopause are improving, it’s still not always clear where to turn for support or reliable information. That’s why we’re here: to help you understand what’s happening in your body, explore your hormone health, and access resources when you need them.

Why are you going through menopause?

Menopause, defined as having no periods for 12 consecutive months, is a natural, age-related process driven by a gradual decline in the hormones that support the reproductive system, primarily oestrogen, but also progesterone and testosterone. These hormones play a vital role in various bodily functions like bone strength, brain function, mood regulation, and body temperature control.¹

As you age, the number of egg-containing follicles in your ovaries decreases. With fewer follicles, hormone production begins to slow. The body attempts to compensate by increasing levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), but over time, the ovaries become less responsive, ovulation stops, and periods come to an end. Consequently, symptoms like hot flushes, sleep disruption, and longer-term changes like reduced bone density can arise.¹

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What causes menopause?

Menopause marks the end of your menstrual cycles and fertility. While for many women it happens naturally in their 40s or 50s, others may experience it earlier due to medical or environmental reasons.

Natural menopause

Natural menopause happens as part of the normal ageing process, typically between ages 45 and 55. It’s diagnosed once you haven’t had a period for 12 consecutive months, and it’s not caused by surgery or illness.¹

Surgical menopause

When both ovaries are removed (often to treat or prevent cancer), hormone production stops suddenly. This triggers immediate menopause symptoms, regardless of age.²

Removing just one ovary (unilateral oophorectomy) doesn’t cause menopause but may bring it on slightly earlier.²

Medication-induced menopause

Some cancer treatments can damage the ovaries, either temporarily or permanently, reducing or stopping hormone production. This can trigger menopause earlier than expected.³

Medical conditions

Diseases like Addison’s disease, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and Grave’s disease can cause your immune system to mistakenly attack your ovaries, thereby inducing menopause early.⁵

Environmental exposure

Smoking is one of the most well-known environmental triggers for early menopause. Other factors like pesticides and phthalates (found in plastics and some cosmetics) may also disrupt hormones and speed up menopause.⁵

Diagnosing menopause

Understanding whether you’re going through menopause isn’t always straightforward, especially when symptoms begin gradually, often years before your periods stop. Speaking with a clinician about what you’re experiencing can offer valuable clarity. While menopause is a clinical diagnosis based on symptoms and life stage, a simple blood test can provide helpful insight into your hormone levels and support more informed conversations about what’s happening in your body.

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Treating menopause

Managing menopause isn’t about treating a condition, but about supporting the symptoms that come with hormonal changes, so you can feel more like yourself again. A clinician can help you understand your symptoms and explore the full range of support options. While Numan doesn’t currently offer HRT prescriptions, we can help you monitor your hormone levels and find the best treatment option for you, be it hormonal or non-hormonal.

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MEET THE TEAM

Our women’s health experts come from a wide range of clinical and academic backgrounds, having worked with leading healthcare organisations across the UK and globally. Now part of Numan, they bring that same level of excellence to women’s care, combining deep expertise with new research to develop evidence-based treatments tailored to your unique needs.

Danielle Brightman

Director of Clinical Product

MPharm PgDip PCert

Shivani Sharma-Savani

Prescribing Lead

MPharm PGCert PCert IP

Dr Luke Pratsides

Head of Medical

MBBS MSc MRCGP MFCI

Mo Dekmak

Clinician

MPharm PGDip IPresc

numan patient

Real people. Real impact.

Knowledge

Learn more about menopause

sleep

4 minute read

Sleep and menopause: what's the link?

In their late forties, women's bodies begin to experience a significant hormonal shift, which is known as menopause. This natural transition occurs when a woman has not had a menstrual period for 12 consecutive months. While it is an inevitable part of ageing, menopause often comes with a range of symptoms, some of which can significantly disrupt sleep.

supplements

3 minute read

Omega-3: a potential ally for menopausal women

Menopause can make your day-to-day life challenging with symptoms like hot flushes and mood swings. To manage these, dietary supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids have gained attention for their potential benefits.

supplements

4 minute read

Enhancing menopausal health: the role of vitamin D

Menopause marks a new chapter in life, often accompanied by challenges like sleep issues, bone density loss, weight gain, and mood swings. There has been some research into vitamin D, a nutrient gaining attention for its potential to alleviate some common menopause issues.

weight loss

3 minute read

Managing menopausal weight gain with Numan: Philippa’s story

From tackling menopausal weight gain to mastering her body’s endocrine system, Phillipa, 56, shares how she got her mojo back with Numan’s Weight Loss Programme.

weight loss

3 minute read

Menopause and weight gain: causes and solutions

Weight gain is normal during menopause, affecting at least 50% of women. Understanding the symptoms and causes of menopausal weight gain can help you adapt your lifestyle to stay healthy and happy.

menopausal woman looking accusingly at the scales she stands on

weight loss

4 minute read

Is weight gain inevitable during menopause?

Menopause often sparks a wave of misconceptions, especially about weight gain. Many women are led to believe that gaining weight during menopause is inevitable. This belief can create unnecessary stress and confusion. While hormonal changes do influence your body, the truth is more nuanced than this.

weight loss

4 minute read

How weight loss can improve menopause symptoms

While hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a common treatment, lifestyle changes - particularly weight loss - can also reduce these symptoms. This doesn’t require extreme dieting but rather healthy, sustainable choices.

women's health

3 minute read

How to get better sleep during menopause

If you’re going through menopause, a good night’s sleep might feel like a distant memory. Research shows that between 16% and 60% of women in perimenopause and postmenopause experience sleep problems.1

women's health

5 minute read

Let’s talk about the vaginal symptoms of menopause

Hot flushes are what gets the headlines when talking about menopause. But for millions of women, the most persistent, distressing, and silenced symptom is one they’re least likely to talk about: vaginal dryness.1

women's health

6 minute read

Understanding menopause: what to expect and how to manage symptoms

Each year, around 1.5 million women in the UK go through the menopause transition. And yet, despite how common it is, many still feel unprepared for the physical and emotional changes it brings.1 From hot flushes to mood swings, sleep disturbances to vaginal dryness, menopause can affect every part of your wellbeing.

women's health

5 minute read

What you need to know about HRT

For many women, menopause arrives with a wave of physical and emotional changes that can disrupt daily life. Hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, brain fog, vaginal dryness, and fatigue are just some of the common symptoms. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is one of the most effective treatments for managing these symptoms, and yet, it’s often misunderstood.1