A new study, by researchers from Atlantic Technological University, ATU Galway City, Ireland, explored whether sensory decline, particularly in taste perception, occurs during and after menopause and the impact of these alterations on dietary behaviour.
The insights are important for healthcare professionals as well as brands and formulators aiming to support this audience with nutrition solutions.
“Women’s eating habits and nutritional choices have been found to be influenced by altered taste perception and increased sensitivity to flavours and odours,” the report concluded. “Which are frequently associated with weight fluctuations and other menopausal symptoms.”
Conducted via online focus groups with women living in Ireland (n = 40; mean age 58.3 years), qualitative interviews revealed insights divided into four key themes: Chemosensory changes, behavioural and emotional consequences, interacting influences, and strategies for wellbeing.
Chemosensory changes included reports of diminished taste, contrasted with heightened smell and selective intensification (sweetness), prompting compensatory behaviours (more salt/spice/strong coffee) and new aversions, alongside unexpected new preferences.
“Spice and spicy foods were regularly mentioned as intolerable during menopause, resulting in many women opting to avoid spice in their diets to alleviate the symptoms associated with its consumption,“ the study said.
Concern over sudden weight gain and body image was a clear driver of nutritional choices during this life phase. To complicate this further, many mentioned increased snacking and sugar or salt cravings during this period, as well as a perceived loss of satiety.
Several participants noted sleep disturbance, joint pain, and “brain fog” as symptoms which further compounded changes in dietary preferences.
A ‘powerful reminder’ of the wider impacts
“Studies like this are a powerful reminder of just how vital menopause visibility truly is. Menopause isn’t just a change in health – it’s a deeply personal, sensory life stage that impacts women in every aspect of their lives,” said Heather Jackson, CEO and co-founder of menopause partner GenM.
Discussing data collected by GenM, which partners brands to improve awareness and shopping experience for consumers going through menopause, Jackson said there are 48 recognised menopause signs.
“Yet most women today can only name three to five,” Jackson told NI referring to the UK Visibility Report, 2024.
“We’ve long championed the need for greater understanding of these signs, especially lesser-known ones like changes in taste and smell, which this research brings to light.”
She noted that estrogen levels and saliva are linked, so some women experience reduced saliva flow which affects their taste buds’ sensitivity.
“This means that your once beloved daily coffee might suddenly repulse you, or your favourite post-workout snack may taste completely different! Throw in other menopause signs like anxiety, fatigue, digestive problems, mood swings, weight gain, and bloating, and it’s no surprise that your gut goes into overdrive, reshaping eating behaviours in unexpected ways,” Jackson said.
“These insights are not just important for healthcare professionals, but for brands and retailers who want to support the 15.5 million menopausal women in the UK (and 1billion globally) with the confidence to search, source, and shop for menopause-friendly products that directly help them.”
Menopause and nutrition
Recent narrative reviews highlight the crucial role of diet in managing menopausal symptoms and overall wellbeing.
Research has indicated dietary factors such as spicy foods, caffeine, and sugar may exacerbate vasomotor symptoms including hot flushes and night sweats. Reviews also suggest that certain nutrients and phytoestrogen-containing foods can influence the severity of these symptoms.
Weight gain is also a well-documented consequence of menopause, contributing to elevated cardiovascular risk.
Phytoestrogen-rich diets and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have shown promise in improving vasomotor symptoms and mood during menopause. Soy isoflavones have been associated with positive effects on postmenopausal health, and vitamin E supplementation has also been explored as a non-hormonal intervention.
The report recommended future research should investigate the underlying mechanisms driving these taste perception changes and explore strategies to support women across different life stages.
Source: Nutrients, https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17213411 “From Disruption to Control: Insights from Focus Groups Exploring Nutrition and Chemosensory Changes During Menopause”, Authors: O’Donovan, S., Monaghan, S., Murphy, A., Conroy, P.M.
