18/01/2026
MENOPAUSE WITHOUT FEAR
Why Functional Medicine is the most effective pathway to navigate the menopause transition, manage weight, protect metabolic health, and restore skin vitality
A clinical white paper written by
Dr Beran Parry, PhD
Advanced Bio Solutions Group | Advanced-Biogroup.com
18 January 2026
Medical disclaimer
This white paper is for education and general information only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always discuss symptoms, medications, and supplement or hormone decisions with a qualified clinician, especially if you have a history of cancer, blood clots, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, migraines with aura, or are using anticoagulants or hormone therapies.
Functional medicine is a root-cause, systems-based approach that complements (and does not replace) appropriate medical evaluation and evidence-based care.
Executive summary
Menopause is not a disease. It is a powerful biological transition that can either accelerate metabolic aging and inflammation—or become the turning point for long-term resilience, energy, and confidence. In clinical practice, the reason so many women feel “unseen” in conventional pathways is simple: symptoms are often treated in isolation, without mapping the upstream drivers that determine how a woman experiences the transition.
Functional medicine provides that map. It is personalised, patient-centred, and systems-based—designed to identify why a symptom is happening, not only what to prescribe for it. The result is a strategy that can improve quality of life during peri-menopause and post-menopause while protecting cardiometabolic health, brain health, mood, body composition, sleep, and skin integrity.
In this white paper, I outline:
• Why menopause can feel unpredictable—and why it becomes a “metabolic tipping point” for many women
• How functional medicine differs from symptom management
• A comprehensive benefit list (metabolic rejuvenation, skin vitality, cognition, mood, sleep, libido, and more)
• A practical framework for diagnostics and targeted interventions
• A sample 12-week roadmap you can adapt with your clinician
1. Why menopause changes everything
The menopause transition is a neuro-endocrine shift. When ovarian hormone output becomes more variable and then declines, the body’s regulatory systems (brain, thyroid, adrenals, insulin signalling, gut microbiome, liver detoxification, immune tone) must compensate. For some women, this compensation is smooth. For others, it reveals hidden vulnerabilities—often years in the making.
Common “headline” symptoms include:
• Hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations, temperature swings
• Sleep disruption, anxiety, low mood, irritability
• Weight resistance, belly fat gain, blood sugar instability
• Brain fog, memory lapses, reduced focus
• Vaginal dryness, lower libido, discomfort with intimacy
• Skin changes: dryness, inflammation, accelerated aging, hair thinning
But the deeper story is metabolic and inflammatory. Declining oestrogen signalling can influence insulin sensitivity, body fat distribution, vascular function, collagen turnover, and the brain’s temperature regulation. When these changes collide with chronic stress, poor sleep, gut dysbiosis, nutrient depletion, or toxins, symptoms become louder and the long-term cardiometabolic risk rises.
2. Why functional medicine is the best pathway through menopause
Functional medicine is a root-cause, systems-based model that integrates modern physiology, lifestyle medicine, functional testing, and therapeutics tailored to the individual. It is designed to answer: “What is driving this pattern in this person, right now?” rather than applying a one-size-fits-all protocol.
In practice, this approach is powerful because it:
• Connects symptoms into patterns (rather than isolated problems)
• Identifies modifiable drivers: inflammation, insulin resistance, stress physiology, gut dysfunction, nutrient depletion, thyroid issues, detoxification overload
• Creates measurable targets (biomarkers) and a feedback loop to refine the plan
• Combines evidence-based options: lifestyle, nutraceuticals, botanical medicine, and (when appropriate) medical therapies such as menopausal hormone therapy
The Institute for Functional Medicine describes functional medicine as patient-centred and grounded in systems biology and root-cause evaluation.
3. The “whole list” of benefits women typically experience when we address root causes
Every woman is unique, and outcomes depend on baseline health, genetics, medications, and consistency. However, when we correct the core drivers, the most common benefits include:
Metabolic rejuvenation and body composition
• Improved insulin sensitivity and steadier blood sugar (less cravings, fewer energy crashes)
• Reduced visceral fat and “stubborn” abdominal weight when nutrition timing, protein, strength training, and stress physiology are addressed
• Better triglycerides/HDL balance and blood pressure support as inflammation and glycaemic load fall
Skin and hair improvement, and reduction of visible aging
• Improved hydration, elasticity and glow through collagen support, fatty acid balance, antioxidant status, and gut health
• Reduced inflammatory flares (acne, rosacea, eczema patterns) when dysbiosis, food triggers, and oxidative stress are corrected
• Less hair shedding and stronger nails as iron, zinc, iodine/selenium, thyroid signalling, and protein intake are optimized
Brain, mood, and mental performance
• Clearer cognition (less “brain fog”) via blood sugar stability, sleep restoration, B-vitamin and omega-3 sufficiency, and inflammation reduction
• Improved mood resilience through targeted neurotransmitter and adrenal support strategies, and better circadian alignment
• Lower anxiety and fewer “wired but tired” symptoms as cortisol rhythm normalises
Sleep, energy, and recovery
• Fewer night wakings and better sleep depth by stabilising glucose overnight, supporting magnesium and glycine pathways, and reducing stimulatory stress inputs
• More consistent daytime energy as mitochondrial support, micronutrients, and inflammation are addressed
Hormone balance, libido, and intimacy
• Reduced hot flashes/night sweats through combined lifestyle, targeted botanicals/nutraceuticals, and (when appropriate) hormone or non-hormonal medical options
• Improved libido and comfort with intimacy by addressing vaginal tissue health, pelvic circulation, stress, and relational factors
• Better thyroid-hormone interplay and fewer “hypothyroid-like” symptoms when iodine/selenium, iron status, and inflammation are corrected
Inflammation, immunity, and long-term disease prevention
• Lower systemic inflammation markers (often reflected in joint pain, bloating, skin inflammation, and recovery)
• Reduced cardiometabolic risk through weight regulation, blood pressure support, and improved lipid and glucose patterns
• Healthier gut-skin and gut-brain axis function as microbiome balance improves
4. The functional medicine menopause framework: test, interpret, personalise
A high-quality plan is driven by measurable data. In my clinic model, diagnostics are selected based on symptoms, history, risk profile, and goals.
Core clinical and functional markers commonly include:
• Cardiometabolic: fasting glucose, insulin, HbA1c, triglycerides, HDL, ApoB (where available), hs-CRP, blood pressure, waist-to-height ratio
• Thyroid: TSH, free T4, free T3, thyroid antibodies (if indicated)
• Iron and nutrient status: ferritin, B12, folate, vitamin D, magnesium (functional assessment), zinc/copper balance
• Hormone mapping (case-dependent): oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone, SHBG; cortisol rhythm (salivary/urinary) if stress symptoms dominate
• Gut health: stool testing for dysbiosis/inflammation (if GI symptoms, skin issues, immune flares)
• Liver and detoxification load: ALT/AST/GGT and targeted support planning when indicated
The aim is not to “test everything”. The aim is to test the right things—and then apply a protocol that is specific, measurable, and reassessed over time.
5. A practical 12-week roadmap … contact us to receive a free copy of this
6. Key takeaways
1. Menopause is a metabolic and inflammatory crossroads; the earlier you build stability, the better you feel long-term.
2. Functional medicine succeeds because it is personalised and root-cause driven, using biomarkers to guide precision intervention.
3. The goal is not just fewer hot flashes: it is better metabolic resilience, stronger skin integrity, better brain performance, and a body you trust again.
4. Lifestyle medicine is not “basic”. Done strategically, it is potent biology.
How to work with us
If you are navigating peri-menopause or post-menopause and want a science-led natural medicine strategy, we begin with a clear diagnostic roadmap and a personalised protocol built around your goals (symptom relief, metabolic rejuvenation, successful fat loss and weight management, skin vitality, and long-term longevity outcomes).
Visit: advanced-biogroup.com
Selected references
5. Bland J. Defining Function in the Functional Medicine Model. Altern Ther Health Med. 2017. (PMCID: PMC5312741).
6. Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM). What is Functional Medicine? and Functional Medicine in Practice. IFM website.
7. Kennard A, et al. Lifestyle Medicine and Vasomotor Symptoms: An Analytic Review. 2024. (PMCID: PMC11562152).
8. Atwell K, et al. Treatment of Vasomotor Symptoms. J Am Board Fam Med. 2024;37(5):923-? (PDF).
9. Anekwe CV, et al. IMS White Paper: The Role of Lifestyle Medicine in Menopausal Health. International Menopause Society. 2025 (PDF).
10. Li Z, et al. Skin Microbiome in Health and Disease. 2025. (PMCID: PMC12720977).
11. Park S, et al. Comprehensive lifestyle modification interventions for metabolic health (6-month intervention). J Nutr. 2024. (doi:10.1111/jnu.12946).