Time-Restricted Eating Didn't Change Sex Hormones in Menopause: What the Research Shows

Time-Restricted Eating Didn't Change Sex Hormones in Menopause: What the Research Shows

Researchers at Northwestern University studied 23 women — 12 before menopause and 11 after — who ate all their food in a 4- to 6-hour window each day for 8 weeks. Most sex hormones, including testosterone and estrogen, stayed the same. One hormone, DHEA, dropped by about 13 to 14%.

Medical disclaimer: This article summarises published research for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for guidance from a qualified health professional. Always consult your doctor before starting any fasting protocol, especially if you have an existing health condition or take medication.

The Short Version

• What they tested: Whether eating in a short daily window changes women's sex hormones.
• Who did it: Faiza Kalam at Northwestern University, published in Obesity in 2023.
• How many people: 23 women — 12 before menopause, 11 after. Exact ages: not stated in the abstract.
• How long: 8 weeks.
• What happened: Most hormones stayed steady, but one hormone, DHEA, dropped by about 13 to 14%.
• Read the study yourself: Obesity 2023 →

What They Wanted to Find Out

Some women worry that skipping meals for hours could throw off their hormones. This team wanted to test that directly. They compared women before menopause with women after menopause, all eating their food inside a short window each day.

This adds to other hormone research on this site, including Does Time-Restricted Eating Change Women's Hormones? No and Intermittent Fasting and Ovarian Reserve in Women.

Who Was in the Study

Who they were: All 23 people were women with obesity. Men and women in the menopause transition (perimenopause) were left out of this analysis. Exact ages were not stated in the abstract.

What the fasting actually looked like: Everyone ate all their meals inside a 4- to 6-hour window each day. This continued for 8 weeks. What they could drink outside the window is not stated in the abstract.

What Happened

Their weight dropped in both groups, but most hormones held steady.

• Weight loss was similar in both groups. There was no meaningful difference between them.
• Testosterone did not change in either group.
• Androstenedione, a hormone that can turn into testosterone or estrogen, did not change.
• SHBG (a protein that carries hormones in the blood) stayed the same in both groups.
• Estrogen and progesterone, checked only in postmenopausal women, did not change.
• DHEA, a hormone made by the adrenal glands, dropped by about 13 to 14% in both groups.

What Did Not Change

• Testosterone stayed the same in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
• Androstenedione stayed the same in both groups.
• SHBG (a protein that carries hormones) stayed the same in both groups.
• Estrogen and progesterone, checked only in postmenopausal women, did not change.
• Muscle was not measured in this study, so we cannot say if it changed.

What the Researchers Said

The researchers said androgens and SHBG (the hormone-carrying protein) stayed steady in both groups. They said DHEA was the one hormone that fell, in women before and after menopause alike.

What This Means for You

• If you are before menopause: This study found your main hormones held steady over 8 weeks of eating in a short window.
• If you are after menopause: Estrogen and progesterone did not drop compared to before the study started.
• One hormone did fall: DHEA went down in both groups. It is not yet clear if this matters for long-term health.
• Weight loss looked similar either way: Whether before or after menopause, weight loss was close between the two groups. See more in Ramadan Fasting and Menopause Hormones.
• This was a small study: Only 23 women took part, so treat this as an early finding. Compare it with Does Time-Restricted Eating Change Women's Hormones? No.
• Talk to your doctor first: If you have a hormone condition, check with a doctor before trying a short eating window.

What This Study Could Not Tell Us

• Only 23 women took part — 12 before menopause and 11 after.
• It ran for 8 weeks, so it cannot say what happens after a year.
• Everyone had obesity, so results may not apply to women at a lower weight.
• Women in the menopause transition itself (perimenopause) were left out completely.
• No separate group eating on a normal schedule was described in the abstract.
• Funding came from the U.S. National Institutes of Health, per the study record.

The Study Details

Kalam, F., Akasheh, R. T., Cienfuegos, S., Ankireddy, A., Gabel, K., Ezpeleta, M., et al. (2023). Effect of time-restricted eating on sex hormone levels in premenopausal and postmenopausal females. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.). PMID: 36203273

Common Questions

Does intermittent fasting lower estrogen in women?

In this study, estrogen was checked only in postmenopausal women. It did not change over the 8 weeks.

Does time-restricted eating affect testosterone in women?

No. Testosterone stayed the same in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women in this study.

What is DHEA and why did it drop?

DHEA is a hormone made by the adrenal glands. It dropped by about 13 to 14% in both groups. The study did not explain why.

Is time-restricted eating safe for women going through menopause?

This small 8-week study found no harm to most hormones. It was too short and too small to prove long-term safety.

How much weight did women lose eating in a short window?

Premenopausal women lost about 3% of their body weight. Postmenopausal women lost about 4%.

More Research Like This

• Time-Restricted Eating Eased Menopause Symptoms More Than Exercise
• Time-Restricted Eating Cuts Weight the Same in Both Menopause Stages
• Does Time-Restricted Eating Change Women's Hormones? No
• Ramadan Fasting and Menopause Hormones
• Time-Restricted Eating Plus Tai Chi Improved Cholesterol in Menopause
• Intermittent Fasting and Ovarian Reserve in Women
• Time-Restricted Eating Works the Same Before and After Menopause

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