4 Surprising Benefits of Losing Weight from 50

Although losing weight at any age has considerable health benefits, it turns out that losing a few pounds after age 50 can be especially good for you.

The hormonal and metabolic changes that commonly occur after the age of 50 make it easier to gain weight. But while weight gain after age 50 can be common, it can also be dangerous: Gaining weight at this age increases your risk for diseases like stroke and diabetes.

Surprising Benefits of Losing Weight from 50

Although weight gain can be risky, weight loss is possible, and it’s worth it if your weight has slipped into the unhealthy range.

4 benefits of losing weight after 50 years

There is a lower risk of dementia

Obesity at age 50 was associated with an increased risk of dementia in a study published in February 2018 in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia (although, oddly, obesity at age 60 or 70 was not).

Despite the fact that the researchers are not clear exactly why, it appears that the gut microbiome , which may become unbalanced as we age, could be a possible link.

Science has shown that we have a natural tendency toward an imbalanced gut , which includes more bad bacteria in our gut, as we age. An imbalance in the gut microbiome can affect brain health and has even been linked to neurodegenerative disease.

In fact, a January 2019 study published in Scientific Reports analyzed fecal samples from participants in a memory care clinic and found that samples from dementia patients had a higher prevalence of bad bacteria.

Eating more fruits, vegetables, and foods high in fiber can contribute to weight loss, balance the gut, and lead to a healthier brain in the process.

Fewer hot flashes

Hot flashes, which occur as a side effect of menopause and are more common in women over 50, are notoriously uncomfortable, and carrying additional weight can make them even more so.

Hormones, like estrogen, are stored in adipose tissue, so it makes sense that the more fat a woman has, the more estrogen in her body and the more pronounced her menopausal symptoms can be.

In fact, a study in the December 2017 issue of BMC Women’s Health found that obese women were “significantly” more likely to have moderate to severe menopausal symptoms, as well as more frequent menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes.

Reduction of joint pain and osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common side effects of aging. With this disease, the cartilage that cushions and protects the bones wears out over time, causing the bones to rub and the joints to swell, become stiff and painful. Carrying extra weight exacerbates osteoarthritis, causing more pressure on the joint and often more pain.

Arthritis and damaged cartilage are not conditions that can be reversed. But, losing weight can put less pressure on the joints and reduce symptoms, making walking easier and less painful.

A reduced risk of certain types of cancer

Hormone-dependent cancers can appear in women over 50 because of weight gain since hormones like estrogen are stored in fat.

The more fat you carry, the higher your hormone levels are. This is why obesity in women has been linked to an increased risk of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer , and why women who lose weight, particularly after age 50, dramatically reduce their risk of disease.

Not surprisingly, a study, published in December 2019 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, found that women who lost weight at age 50 had a lower risk of breast cancer than women whose weight remained the same, even if women who lost weight ended up gaining weight part of that.

What is also important to note is that obesity is also associated with a malfunctioning liver. The liver is critical to filter out harmful chemicals like environmental pollutants and carcinogenic toxins. Since cancer rates are already higher due to age, having a liver that malfunctions due to obesity increases the risk of many diseases, including cancer.