How Strength Training Supports Hormone Health in Perimenopause (+ What to Eat After)

When I finished a lower body workout this week, my gym’s smart equipment delivered a message that stopped me in my tracks:

“You’ve just released a fresh batch of healthy hormones.”

At first, I smiled. Then I paused—because this is exactly what so many women in perimenopause don’t realise:

Strength training isn’t just for building muscle to look toned or prevent women from breaking bones—it’s a powerful tool for balancing hormones, boosting mood, and supporting long-term health.

Let’s explore the science behind this, and what you can do to make every workout work harder for your hormones.

What Happens to Hormones in Perimenopause?

From your late 30s through your 40s and early 50s, hormone levels—especially estrogen and progesterone—begin to fluctuate and decline. These shifts can bring noticeable changes: increased belly fat or muscle loss, mood swings, slower recovery, fatigue, and a frustrating drop in motivation to exercise.

These aren’t signs of laziness or weakness. They’re biological changes—natural, but manageable with the right strategy.

The good news? Certain types of movement, particularly strength training, can spark positive hormonal responses that support both physical and emotional wellbeing.

How Strength Training Supports Hormone Health

Strength or resistance training—especially movements involving your legs, like squats or lunges—stimulates your largest muscle groups. This sends a powerful signal to your endocrine system to produce and release key hormones, including:

Growth Hormone (GH): Vital for muscle repair, fat metabolism, and energy levels.

DHEA: A precursor to oestrogen and testosterone, both of which decline in perimenopause.

Endorphins: Natural mood-boosters that help with stress, pain perception, and emotional resilience.

Insulin Sensitivity Improvement: Strength training helps your cells better respond to insulin, which supports balanced blood sugar, reduces inflammation, and helps manage weight.

Together, these hormonal responses can lift mood, improve sleep, support lean muscle maintenance, and regulate appetite and metabolism. In short: training your body can also help rebalance your hormones.

Nutrition Makes or Breaks the Benefits

Here’s what many don’t realise: the hormonal benefits of strength training can’t do their job unless your body has the raw materials to recover, repair, and rebuild. Without adequate nutrition, the signal is there—but the body can’t respond effectively.

Protein is the most critical nutrient in this equation. Most women over 40 need at least 20–30 grams per meal to support muscle maintenance, hormone production, and metabolic function—yet many fall far short, especially at breakfast.

In addition to protein, the body also needs a range of micronutrients and bioactive compounds that support recovery, hormone balance, and nervous system regulation. These include:

Magnesium: Supports muscle relaxation, sleep, and hormone metabolism.

Vitamin B6 and B12: Essential for energy, brain health, and neurotransmitter balance.

Vitamin D: Helps regulate mood, bone health, and hormone production.

Adaptogens (like ashwagandha and maca): Help the body respond to stress and stabilise hormone fluctuations.

Probiotics and fibre: Support gut health and oestrogen detoxification.

If you’re training regularly but feeling sluggish, flat, or not seeing progress, it might not be the workout—it could be the missing nutritional support.

The Takeaway: Train Smart. Recover Smarter.

Strength training is one of the most effective and empowering things you can do for your body and mind in perimenopause. It builds more than muscle—it wakes up your hormones, protects your long-term health, and reconnects you with your strength.

But to really feel the benefits, your body needs the right support. Prioritise recovery. Fuel your workouts. And choose nutrition that’s designed for this chapter of life.

Because when you train your legs, you’re doing more than shaping your body—you’re activating your body’s own hormone-balancing power.

Strong legs. Balanced hormones. Vital energy. That’s what we’re here for.