The years surrounding perimenopause and menopause bring a cascade of hormonal changes that can quietly reshape nearly every aspect of daily life. Sleep becomes unpredictable, moods shift without warning, energy levels dip, and body weight begins to redistribute in unfamiliar ways. These changes are not random — they are driven by a specific hormonal pattern that unfolds during midlife, and understanding it is the first step toward managing it more effectively. As estrogen, progesterone, and DHEA naturally decline, the body becomes increasingly vulnerable to metabolic disruption and inflammation.
Nurse practitioner Lexi Yoo has spoken candidly about what this shift actually looks like from a clinical perspective. “In perimenopause and menopause, estrogen, progesterone, and DHEA decline while cortisol often rises,” she told SheFinds. Rather than focusing simply on replacing what is lost, Yoo argues that the real goal is building resilience at a deeper level. “The goal isn’t to ‘overpower’ the hormones, but to support metabolic resilience and adrenal resilience,” she explained. With that framework in mind, she has identified two supplements she considers especially worthwhile for women over 50.
The first is magnesium glycinate, a form of magnesium that tends to fly under the radar despite playing an outsized role in the body’s most fundamental processes. Yoo points out that magnesium is involved in more than 300 enzymatic reactions, touching everything from how the body regulates cortisol to how well cells respond to insulin and how deeply a person sleeps. “Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions, including cortisol regulation, insulin sensitivity, and sleep architecture,” she said. When magnesium levels are adequate, the nervous system is better equipped to handle stress without tipping into overdrive.
Part of what makes magnesium particularly relevant for women in midlife is that deficiency becomes increasingly common with age, and the hormonal landscape of menopause makes the situation worse. “Magnesium deficiency becomes more common with age, and the drop in estrogen increases stress sensitivity,” Yoo noted. Restoring healthy magnesium levels, she explained, helps stabilize the nervous system’s response to everyday stressors while supporting the metabolic processes that regulate hormonal balance. Magnesium glycinate is her preferred form specifically because it absorbs well and tends to be gentle on digestion, making it easier to maintain consistently.
The second supplement Yoo recommends is high-quality omega-3 fatty acids, particularly those rich in EPA and DHA. Her reasoning centers on one of the more underappreciated drivers of hormonal imbalance in midlife: chronic systemic inflammation. “Omega-3s reduce systemic inflammation, which is a key driver of hormonal imbalance and insulin resistance in midlife,” she said. When inflammation runs unchecked, it can worsen abdominal fat accumulation, undermine the body’s response to insulin, and raise the risk of cardiovascular problems down the road.
Omega-3s address this on multiple levels, according to Yoo. They improve how receptive cell membranes are to hormonal signals, support insulin function, and help dial back the inflammatory processes that tend to encourage fat storage around the midsection. Beyond metabolism, they also appear to offer some protection against the mood fluctuations that commonly accompany menopause. Yoo emphasized that the stakes become higher after menopause ends, as cardiovascular and metabolic risks increase significantly. “Omega-3s support heart health, brain health, and fat metabolism, which is key for longevity,” she said, framing the supplement not just as a hormonal aid but as a longer-term investment in overall health.
What ties both recommendations together is Yoo’s broader philosophy about managing midlife health. Rather than chasing hormone levels with a one-size-fits-all approach, she advocates for building the body’s underlying resilience — strengthening the systems that help hormones do their jobs more effectively. Magnesium and omega-3s, in her view, are two of the most practical and evidence-backed tools available for women navigating this transition.
Magnesium was actually one of the first minerals ever linked to human health, with records of its therapeutic use dating back to ancient Greece, where physicians used Epsom salts — magnesium sulfate — to treat everything from constipation to skin conditions. Omega-3 fatty acids were largely overlooked by Western medicine until the 1970s, when Danish researchers noticed that Greenlandic Inuit populations, despite eating extremely high-fat diets, had remarkably low rates of heart disease — and eventually traced the protection back to their fish-heavy eating habits. The brain itself is made up of roughly 60 percent fat, and DHA, one of the key omega-3s Yoo recommends, is the single most abundant fatty acid found in brain tissue.
If you take either of these supplements or have noticed a difference in how you feel during perimenopause or menopause, share your experience in the comments.
