This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

It's not uncommon for women to experience more gastrointestinal (GI) issues, especially bloating and gas, during menopause due to fluctuating hormone levels that slow down digestion and alter gut function. Anxiety is also common. But are the two problems related?

A new study sought to answer that question. Results of the study were presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in San Diego, Oct. 20–24, 2026.

The menopause transition affects women's bodies in many ways, including wreaking havoc on their GI systems. Common GI problems include excessive bloating, gas, constipation, diarrhea, pain and nausea. Menopause is also known to heighten anxiety.

A new study involving more than 1,800 women aged between 40 and 60 years sought to examine GI symptom burden and anxiety severity across the menopause stages (premenopause, perimenopause and postmenopause) and examine the association between the two issues.

Based on the results, researchers confirmed that excessive bloating and gas were the most prevalent GI symptoms, with 65.6% of women scoring above the normal severity range. GI symptom severity did not differ significantly by menopause stage across any domain but, rather, remained consistent throughout the transition. No other GI symptom was identified to be out of the normal range during the menopause transition.

In contrast, anxiety scores were highest during perimenopause compared with premenopause and postmenopause. 5% of participants reported moderate to severe anxiety.

Source link