‘They are not mentally ill, antidepressants are not appropriate. Once they have the label, it doesn’t help them,’ says expert.
Hot flushes and night sweats are the most well-known symptoms in peri/menopause, but the most common ones are anxiety, depression and brain fog. So many women who are looking for help get prescribed anti-depressants, despite the fact that:
“Menopause guidelines are very clear that antidepressants should not be given first-line for low mood associated with the menopause because there is no evidence that they will help.”
Editor’s note:
The reason why anti-depressants don’t help is that these medications target neurotransmitters like serotonin. But the loss of brain function that is associated with peri/menopause is not a neurotransmitter problem, it’s an energy problem.
During peri/menopause the brain becomes less and less able to use carbohydrates for energy and switches to mainly using fat for energy. This means that unless a low carb/high-fat diet is being followed, the brain will become starved of energy, leading to anxiety, depression and brain fog.
Switching to a low carb/high-fat diet can resolve brain issues in just a few weeks.
