Healthy Aging in Perimenopause: What I’m Doing for Cholesterol, Muscle and Gut Health

One of the things I appreciate most about my doctor is that she looks at the whole picture. We watch my labs, we talk about what is changing as I move through perimenopause, and we keep tweaking things based on what my body is telling us.

Right now, one of the things we’re working on is my cholesterol. My doctor wanted to begin with a combination of lifestyle changes and targeted supplements before considering a prescription statin, then continue watching my numbers.

She has me taking BergaVin, RYR Synergy and Fiber+ as part of that approach, along with continuing to work on my diet, exercise and overall metabolic health. My estrogen therapy is also part of the bigger picture of how we’re managing my health through perimenopause.

BergaVin contains bergamot and grape-derived polyphenols, ingredients that have been studied for their potential role in supporting healthy cholesterol and lipid metabolism. RYR Synergy contains red yeast rice along with CoQ10. Red yeast rice can have a meaningful effect on LDL cholesterol, which is also why I take it under my doctor’s supervision rather than treating “natural” as automatically harmless.

And then there’s Fiber+. Fiber is one of those things I think many of us know we need, but I’m realizing more and more how much it does. It supports digestion and the gut microbiome, and certain types of soluble fiber can also help support healthy cholesterol levels.

My doctor also recommended that I take creatine every day. I used to associate creatine with bodybuilders, but I’ve completely changed the way I think about it.

Dr. Mary Claire Haver, who I love to follow on Instagram, talks quite a bit about creatine for women in midlife. She discusses its role in helping preserve muscle, strength and performance, especially when paired with resistance training, along with its possible benefits for cellular energy and brain health. Research in women suggests possible benefits for strength and exercise performance, and there is growing interest in possible cognitive and mood benefits as well. The research specifically in perimenopausal women is still limited, which I think is an important distinction, but there is enough emerging research that creatine has become a regular part of the midlife conversation.

Then there are my collagen peptides. Collagen provides amino acids that are particularly abundant in connective tissues, so I think of this as another piece of supporting my joints, tendons, ligaments, skin and overall musculoskeletal health as I age.

Not pictured here: I also take an essential amino acid product from my health program that has a significant amount of leucine. I love this addition because leucine plays an important signaling role in muscle protein synthesis. Collagen, while useful for connective tissue, is relatively low in leucine and isn’t a complete protein, so I don’t look at collagen as my primary muscle-building protein source. My amino acids, adequate dietary protein, creatine and strength training are all different pieces of the muscle-preservation puzzle, which has become a much bigger priority for me.

I’m thinking beyond what I weigh. I’m paying attention to how much muscle I can maintain, how strong I am, how my gut is functioning, what my bloodwork looks like and what I can do now to support the body I want to have 10, 20 and 30 years from now.

None of these supplements replaces the basics. I’m still working on nutrition, strength training, moving more, and paying attention to protein and fiber. My doctor and I continue to adjust my perimenopause care based on my symptoms, my labs and how I feel.

I love having a doctor who is willing to explore lifestyle changes and more natural options when appropriate. I would take medication if I needed it; right now, we’re paying attention, trying things thoughtfully, retesting and making decisions based on the results.

That’s what healthy aging looks like to me: being proactive now instead of waiting until something becomes a problem.

And, as always, these are supplements my doctor recommended specifically for me based on my health history and labs. I’m sharing what I’m learning from my own care, and everyone’s medical situation is different.