Build Strength, Balance Hormones: Why Movement and Muscle Matter More Than Ever in Midlife
Anna Harrelson • March 30, 2025
From insulin resistance to nervous system regulation—how moving your body and building muscle supports you through menopause and beyond.
Let’s be honest: midlife can feel like your body is changing the rules without warning.
You’re doing what used to work, but the results aren’t the same. The scale doesn’t budge, your sleep is disrupted, your energy is inconsistent, and your moods might feel like a rollercoaster you didn’t sign up for.
And while hormone therapy, supplements, and nutrition are powerful tools for navigating perimenopause and menopause, movement—especially strength training and nervous system-aware exercise—is one of the most underutilized forms of medicine.
As a lifestyle medicine physician and menopause specialist, I talk about this daily with my patients. Movement isn’t just about burning calories. It’s about retraining your stress response, building metabolic resilience, preserving muscle, and improving insulin sensitivity.
Why Movement and Muscle Matter in Midlife
During perimenopause and menopause, we experience natural declines and fluctuations in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. These shifts impact far more than reproduction—they affect how we regulate blood sugar, manage stress, build muscle, sleep, and recover from daily life.
In this stage of life:
- Muscle mass declines more rapidly if not actively maintained
- Insulin sensitivity drops, raising the risk for metabolic syndrome and weight gain
- Cortisol levels rise and become harder to regulate, especially in women with high stress or trauma histories
- Nervous system resilience weakens, making it harder to bounce back from emotional or physical stressors
Movement is the antidote to all of this.
What the Research Shows
Muscle is a metabolic organ. It stores glucose, improves insulin sensitivity, regulates inflammation, and even contributes to hormone production and detoxification. Building and maintaining muscle in midlife is one of the most powerful ways to protect against:
- Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance
- Cognitive decline
- Cardiovascular disease
- Falls, fractures, and osteoporosis
And beyond the physical? Movement is critical for regulating the autonomic nervous system, which influences:
- Your ability to sleep
- Your mood and anxiety levels
- Your response to daily stressors
- Your digestive and immune function
Not Just Any Movement
This isn’t
about hitting the gym for 90 minutes or going hard every day.
It’s about intentional movement that supports your biology.
Here’s what I recommend:
1. Prioritize strength training.
- 2–3 times per week of bodyweight, resistance bands, dumbbells, or machines
- Focus on form, tempo, and functional movement—not just reps or weight
2. Include low-impact, nervous-system regulating movement.
- Walking, mobility flows, Pilates, yoga, or tai chi
- Think of this as your recovery and resilience training
3. Move throughout the day.
- Break up sedentary time with stretching, light movement, or standing tasks
- Movement snacks matter for metabolic health
4. Don’t overtrain.
- Too much high-intensity exercise can increase cortisol, disrupt sleep, and worsen hormonal symptoms
- Listen to your body and focus on consistency over intensity
It’s Not About Looking Fit. It’s About Feeling Well.
This phase of life isn’t just about managing symptoms—it’s about building your future resilience. Every time you lift something heavy, take a walk, or stretch with intention, you are:
- Supporting your insulin and glucose balance
- Reinforcing your bone, brain, and cardiovascular health
- Regulating your nervous system
- Building muscle that keeps you independent and active for decades to come
Movement is medicine,
&
muscle is your midlife superpower.
Final Thoughts
If you feel like your metabolism has shifted, your sleep is off, or your body feels unfamiliar—you’re not alone. But you’re not broken. You’re evolving. And your body is still responsive to thoughtful support.
Start small. Lift something. Go for a walk.
Move in a way that honors your nervous system, builds strength, and reminds you that this phase of life is not a decline—it’s a recalibration.
WonderCreek Health Blog
You’ve probably seen it popping up in wellness podcasts, health stores, or even your friend's supplement cabinet: bovine colostrum. Marketed for gut health, immune support, and recovery, this early-life nutrient source for calves is now showing up in adult wellness routines. But is it worth your time and money? As a lifestyle medicine physician focused on women’s midlife health and longevity, here’s what I want you to know before you jump on the colostrum bandwagon. Let’s Start With the Basics: What Is Colostrum? Colostrum is the first form of milk produced by mammals (including humans) in the first few days after giving birth. It’s loaded with antibodies, growth factors, and immune-modulating compounds designed to jumpstart a newborn’s immune system and line the gut. Bovine colostrum—from cows—is the form used in most supplements. It's freeze-dried and packaged into powders or capsules, and often promoted for: Gut barrier support ("leaky gut") Immune system priming Exercise recovery Anti-aging benefits But let’s be honest: just because something has growth factors doesn’t mean it belongs in your Amazon cart. Does the Science Support It? Evidence in humans is limited— but not nonexistent. Some small clinical studies have shown potential benefits: Gut health: In people with NSAID-induced intestinal permeability ("leaky gut"), bovine colostrum has been shown to reduce damage and symptoms. Immune function: Some data in athletes suggests reduced upper respiratory infections. Exercise recovery: A few studies report improvements in performance, gut comfort, or muscle soreness—especially in endurance athletes. But these benefits aren’t guaranteed. And the quality and dosage of colostrum varies widely, with no standardized formulation across brands. So Should You Take It? Here’s where my clinical voice kicks in: Before you reach for colostrum, ask yourself: Have you addressed the basics? Are you sleeping? Managing stress? Eating fiber and whole foods? Getting enough protein? Building muscle? Moving your body? Supporting your gut with real food (not just powders)? If the answer is no—then colostrum is not your next step. You’re throwing powdered fuel on an engine that’s missing spark plugs. Do you have dairy sensitivity? Colostrum is a dairy product. Even if it's low in lactose, it may not be tolerated by everyone. Are you already taking quality foundational supplements? Vitamin D, omega-3s, magnesium, creatine, iron (when needed), and probiotics have stronger bodies of evidence for many women in midlife. When Might It Be Worth Trying? Colostrum might be a reasonable add-on if you: Have mild gut symptoms (especially post-infectious or stress-related) Are recovering from illness or antibiotics Train hard and experience frequent upper respiratory issues Want to support your immune system during travel or stress Even then, I recommend: A 2–3 month trial only after dialing in basics Choosing a third-party tested brand Tracking symptoms and benefits Cost, Hype, and the Bigger Picture Many women I work with are overwhelmed by supplement costs. Colostrum can run $50–100/month —and that adds up. So here’s what I tell my patients: Just because something is trending doesn’t mean it’s essential. And just because it works for someone on TikTok doesn’t mean it’s the right tool for your body right now. Your body is an incredible machine. When you give it rest, movement, nourishment, and support—it can do amazing things. Colostrum is not magic. It’s just one tool in a very big toolbox. Bottom Line Colostrum may hality sources. You’re not broken. You might just need a reset—not another powder.
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