MCTs: A Fat like no other
THE NEW FUEL FOR WOMEN OVER 50
Your body isn’t letting you down. It’s just changing its approach.
The menopause isn’t just about hormones. It’s also a metabolic transition.
As oestrogen levels fall, the way our bodies use energy, preserve muscle, store fat and regulate blood sugar levels can change.
And that is precisely why, at this stage of life, the quality of our fuel becomes essential.
MCTs: A FAT LIKE NO OTHER
MCTs — medium-chain triglycerides — are fatty acids that are rapidly absorbed and metabolised.
Some of them can be converted into ketone bodies, an alternative source of energy that can be used by the brain, heart and muscles, amongst others.
And no, you don’t need to follow a ketogenic diet.
MCTs can increase the availability of ketones even in a diet that contains carbohydrates.
THE BRAIN
The famous ‘brain fog’ associated with the menopause is no myth.
Some women experience increased mental fatigue, fluctuating concentration or a sense of loss of clarity.
Ketones can provide the brain with an alternative source of energy.
Not a stimulant.
Not a miracle cure.
An alternative metabolic pathway.
MITOCHONDRIA
And behind this question lies a fundamental aspect of longevity: our mitochondria.
These powerhouses, present in every one of our cells, convert nutrients into usable energy.
MCTs are rapidly oxidised and can help provide an energy substrate for the mitochondria.
The aim, therefore, is not simply to ‘burn fat’.
The aim is to develop metabolic flexibility : our body’s ability to use different fuels efficiently, according to its needs.
OIL OR POWDER?
MCTs mainly come in two forms.
MCT oil is the simplest and most straightforward form.
It allows you to precisely control the amount consumed and can be added to a drink, yoghurt or smoothie.
MCT powder may be more convenient for drinks and certain recipes, particularly for those who prefer to avoid an oily texture.
However, you should check the ingredients carefully, as some powders contain additional ingredients.
And if your specific aim is to increase ketone production, check the proportion of C8.
C8 is generally more effective at producing ketones quickly than C10.
But a C8/C10 blend is still perfectly suitable for everyday use.
MY APPROACH
There’s no need to always go for the ‘most potent’ option.
For a woman who isn’t necessarily following a ketogenic diet, a gradual approach is essential.
Starting with a small amount allows you to see how your digestive system reacts, as MCTs can cause digestive discomfort when introduced too quickly or in too large a quantity.
Precision rather than excess.
BUT HERE’S THE KEY POINT
MCT is not a treatment for the menopause.
- It does not treat hot flushes.
- It is not a substitute for oestrogen.
- It does not, on its own, prevent bone loss.
- It certainly does not replace muscle.
The true strategy for female longevity is much more comprehensive:
Sufficient protein.
- Muscle.
- Strength.
- Omega-3s.
- Fibre and a healthy gut microbiome.
- Quality sleep.
- Good hormonal health.
- Excellent metabolic flexibility.
MCT can be one tool amongst many.
And perhaps that is what ageing wisely is all about:
Not trying to do more.
Trying to do better.
To choose more carefully what we give our bodies, our brains and our cells.
The menopause isn’t a break. It’s the moment when we stop operating on autopilot.
And when we start operating with intention.
Not against ageing. For function.
No less a woman. More fully alive.
Gravity and wrinkles are fine with me. They’re a small price to pay for the new wisdom inside my head and my heart.
When you’re young, there’s so much now that you can’t take it in. It’s pouring over you like awaterfall. When you’re older, it’s less intense, but you’re able to reach out and drink it. I love being older.
I see menopause as the start of the next fabulous phase of life as a woman. Now is a time to ‘tune in’ to our bodies and embrace this new chapter. If anything, I feel more myself and love my body more now, at 58 years old, than ever before.
All of a sudden I don’t mind saying to people, ‘You know what? Get out of my life. You’re not right for me.’ It’s wonderful and liberating.
If you deal with it in a healthy fashion then I think you come out the other side a better person. I’ve got so much more energy now than I ever had in my early 50s before the menopause.
The very best way that you can help yourself is to develop and sustain a positive attitude. The way you think and feel about everything will make all the difference to your experience.
Menopause. A pause while you reconsider men.
A study says owning a dog makes you 10 years younger. My first thought was to rescue two more, but I don’t want to go through menopause again.
Women are always being tested … but ultimately, each of us has to define who we are individually and then do the very best job we can to grow into it.
Confidence comes with age, and looking beautiful comes from the confidence someone has in themselves.
I think our bodies are beautiful, and I think celebrating them and being comfortable in them—no matter what age you are—is important. There shouldn’t be any kind of shame or discomfort around it.
I don’t think of getting older as looking better or worse; it’s just different. You change, and that’s okay.
For you, it’s a joke, but think about it for me, everything is going south. Menopause is one of themost significant things that happens to women. As someone who is in that phase, it is very frightening, because everything is basically out of your control.
The anticipation of a problem creates bigger problems than it really is. One has to adapt to alifestyle change to remain in the best of health. What works for one in their 30s or 40s cannot workin your 50s. You need to understand what you are getting into and make those small changes. One can have methi to regulate hormones. Zinc too. Start exercising, limit your alcohol intake if you drink and get into bed earlier.
I didn’t know what peri menopause was, I thought after a certain age we go through pre menopause up to 10 years before menopause? But did you know you could go through perimenopause up to 10 years before menopause ? It’s like the body is getting ready for menopause?
Menopause is considered as a “problem” rather than something normal every women experience.There’s a very important message behind it because what we’re saying here is that there are noexpiration dates for women.
I have a very healthy baseline, and also, well, I was experiencing hormone shifts because of infertility, having to take shots and all that,” Obama explained. “I experienced the night sweats, even in my 30s, and when you think of the other symptoms that come along, just hot flashes, I mean, I had a few before I started taking hormones.
Menopause is like autumn leaves falling; it’s a natural shedding of the old to make way for the new.
Gravity and wrinkles are fine with me. They’re a small price to pay for the new wisdom inside my head and my heart.
When you’re young, there’s so much now that you can’t take it in. It’s pouring over you like awaterfall. When you’re older, it’s less intense, but you’re able to reach out and drink it. I love being older.