Hormones & Health

From growth spurts to hot flashes, our bodies go through massive transformations during puberty and perimenopause. Despite being two of the biggest hormonal shifts in a person's life, there's still a ton of confusion about what our bodies actually need to thrive during these stages.

Let's test your knowledge in this edition of 2 Truths and a Lie!

Guess the lie:

1. Puberty and perimenopause require a relative increase in daily protein intake.

2. Iron requirements increase during puberty and perimenopause.

3. Calcium and vitamin D needs spike during both phases.

Statement 2 is the lie.

At baseline, an adult needs  0.8 g/kg/day protein daily. In puberty, this increases slightly to  0.85 g/kg/day and in perimenopause to 1.0-1.2 g/kg/day. In puberty the extra protein is needed for the rapid growth of new muscle. In menopause, the increased intake of protein is to help retain muscle mass and prevent sarcopenia, age-related muscle loss.

Increased iron requirements are required in puberty due to the onset of menstruation but not necessarily in perimenopause as menstrual cycles become lighter or less frequent.

Calcium and vitamin D are critical in both stages. ~40% of adult bone mass will develop between age 9 and 18, . Alternatively, bone matrix changes are triggered by the decreasing estrogen in perimenopause. Retaining bone mass helps with the prevention of osteoporosis.