Nutrition cannot directly "top up" oestrogen or progesterone, but it can make a real difference to how your body navigates the menopause years.

During perimenopause, oestrogen fluctuates unpredictably and progesterone declines as ovulation becomes irregular, which can affect sleep, mood, temperature regulation and body composition. As oestrogen eventually falls, bone loss can accelerate, muscle mass declines more quickly and cardiovascular risk rises.

What you eat supports the foundations that matter most through this transition: adequate energy, stable blood sugar, muscle-supporting protein, bone-supporting minerals, healthy fats and enough fibre for gut and heart health. 

In this blog, we will look at the seven nutrients to prioritise, simple ways to get them from everyday meals, and where supplements can be a helpful addition.

Protein becomes increasingly important with age because it helps maintain lean muscle mass, strength and metabolic health.

Research in postmenopausal women found that eating more than 1g of protein per kg of body weight daily led to greater gains in muscle and strength from resistance training. 

A practical target during menopause is around 1.1 to 1.5g per kg, particularly if you are active or strength training. That means including a meaningful source of protein at every meal rather than concentrating it all at dinner.

Easy ways to add more:

• Add Greek yoghurt to breakfast. 
• Include eggs, tofu, tempeh, fish, chicken, beans or lentils at lunch.
• Choose a protein-rich snack such as edamame, cottage cheese, or hummus with oatcakes.
• Add lentils or beans to soups, salads, curries and bolognese.

Fibre supports digestive health, helps stabilise blood sugar, feeds beneficial gut bacteria and contributes to heart health. It also helps with satiety, which is useful if appetite or eating patterns change during menopause. UK guidance is 30g a day, and most of us fall well short. Try adding more to your diet by:

• Swapping white bread for seeded wholegrain bread.
• Adding beans or lentils to salads and stews.
• Choosing jumbo oats or muesli over low-fibre cereals.
• Keeping frozen berries and mixed vegetables handy for quick meals.

Increase fibre slowly and drink enough water, as a sudden increase can cause bloating.

Vitamin D supports calcium absorption and helps maintain bones and muscles. In the UK we cannot make enough from sunlight between October and early March, so the NHS advises everyone to consider a daily supplement during these months. Food sources include oily fish, egg yolks and fortified foods, but they rarely provide enough on their own.

Extracted's Vitamin D3 + K2 combines vitamin D3 with vitamin K2, a pairing often chosen to support bone health alongside a calcium-rich diet.

Oestrogen helps protect bone, so as it declines, bone breakdown speeds up. TheSWAN study found bone density falls fastest from a year before the final period to two years after. Calcium provides the structural mineral for bone, so aim for two to three calcium-rich foods a day: dairy or fortified plant milks, yoghurt, cheese, calcium-set tofu, tahini, almonds and leafy greens.

Omega-3 fatty acids support cell membrane health and are involved in the body's inflammatory and cardiovascular pathways.

The American Heart Association highlights the menopause transition as a time of rising cardiovascular risk, as blood pressure, central fat storage and cholesterol profiles all shift. This makes heart-supportive nutrition especially important in midlife.

The richest sources are oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and trout, so aim to include them once or twice a week if you eat fish. Walnuts, chia and flaxseeds provide a plant form of omega-3 called ALA, which the body converts into the active forms EPA and DHA only in small amounts.

For plant-based diets, algae-derived DHA can be especially helpful because it provides the active form directly. Extracted's Vegan DHA Omega 3 is derived from sustainably sourced algae, making it a useful option for anyone avoiding fish oil.

Phytoestrogens are plant compounds with a weak, oestrogen-like action in the body. The best known are the isoflavones in soy and the lignans in flaxseed. They won't replace the oestrogen your body is losing, but they may take the edge off symptoms for some women. A meta-analysis of 17 trials found soy isoflavones reduced hot flush frequency by around 21% and severity by around 26% compared with placebo, with benefits building over several weeks.

Responses vary, so consistency matters more than quantity. Easy ways to include them are edamame, tofu, tempeh or soya milk, a tablespoon of ground flaxseed daily, and regular chickpeas and lentils. Soy foods are considered safe as part of a balanced diet, but if you have a history of hormone-sensitive cancer, check with your medical team first.

Breakfast: Greek yoghurt or soy yoghurt with oats, berries, ground flaxseed, walnuts and pumpkin seeds.

Lunch: A large salad with chickpeas or salmon, quinoa, avocado, leafy greens and an olive oil dressing, or a red lentil, spinach and butternut squash daal for a more warming option.

Snack: An apple with almond butter, or hummus with oatcakes and vegetable sticks.

Dinner: A tempeh, chicken or lentil curry with brown rice and steamed leafy greens.

Your daily checklist:

• Protein at every meal (around 25 to 35g)
• At least five different plant foods
• Two to three calcium-rich foods
• Leafy greens, nuts or seeds for magnesium
• Oily fish once or twice a week, or an omega-3 supplement
• Vitamin D daily from October to March