Scientists have long known that lower estrogen levels after menopause can cause fat storage to shift from the hips and thighs to the abdomen.

Now, a ground breaking study, co-authored by the Mayo Clinic, has determined why:

Proteins, revved up by the estrogen drop, cause fat cells to store more fat. And it gets worse: These cellular changes also slow down fat burning by the body after menopause.

Even though the research doesn’t provide weight-loss solutions, it may bring a sense of relief to millions of middle-aged women who have been fighting an often losing battle against the dreaded “post-meno belly.

”It doesn’t mean you’re absolutely doomed,” said Dr. Michael Jensen, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic and one of the study’s authors, “but it does mean it’s going to be harder, probably” to lose weight.

According to a 2010 study in the International Journal of Obesity, women gain an average of 6 kg within eight years of menopause. But even women who maintain the same weight say they notice their waistline expanding.

However, there are health risks associated with having an extra layer of padding around the waist.

Belly fat is a sign of visceral fat around vital organs and increases a person’s risk for obesity-related illness. A waist measurement of 88cm or more can lead to a greater risk of problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Recommendation

As the study indicated that a drop in estrogen levels is the cause of the sudden belly flab, take the Manna Menopause Support tablets, with phyto-estrogens (plant derived estrogens), to boost your estrogen level the natural way and counteract the cause of the problem.

You can also make a change in your diet, by reducing carbohydrates and sugar, sugary drinks, fruit juices and alcohol for effective, healthy weight loss.