Should women lift weights? Medical expert says strength training is not just for 'fat loss' and shares 5 benefits
Dr. Vassily Eliopoulos highlights strength training as vital for women's hormone health, not just aesthetics. It balances estrogen, progesterone, insulin, cortisol, and testosterone, alleviating PMS, mood swings, and fatigue. Weight lifting improv...
By ET Online | Updated:
Forget the myth that lifting weights is only about building big muscles or burning fat. According to Dr. Vassily Eliopoulos, women who skip strength training are missing out on one of the most powerful tools for hormone health. In a recent Instagram post, the medical expert called strength training “hormone therapy,” stressing that it’s not just about aesthetics but about balance, resilience, and long-term wellness—especially in your 30s, 40s, and beyond.
Dr Eliopoulos explained that strength training helps regulate five key hormones: estrogen, progesterone, insulin, cortisol, and testosterone. In his words, Hormone symptoms like PMS, mood swings, fatigue, and stubborn fat aren’t fixed by cardio and kale alone. Strength training balances estrogen, improves insulin, supports progesterone, and even raises confidence by improving testosterone.”
He went on to break down the specific benefits. First, lifting clears excess estrogen while naturally boosting progesterone, which means fewer mood swings, less PMS, and more stable cycles. Second, more muscle mass helps reduce insulin resistance, which improves energy, brain function, ovulation, and appetite control. Third, strength training lowers long-term cortisol, teaching the body to handle stress without staying in inflammation mode.
It doesn’t stop there. Dr. Eliopoulos added that weight training supports healthy testosterone levels in women—yes, women need it too—for libido, confidence, lean muscle, and sharper thinking. Finally, he pointed out how crucial it becomes during perimenopause. Lifting weights helps preserve bone density, reduce belly fat, stabilise mood, and prevent muscle loss at a time when estrogen and progesterone naturally decline.
Dr Eliopoulos explained that strength training helps regulate five key hormones: estrogen, progesterone, insulin, cortisol, and testosterone. In his words, Hormone symptoms like PMS, mood swings, fatigue, and stubborn fat aren’t fixed by cardio and kale alone. Strength training balances estrogen, improves insulin, supports progesterone, and even raises confidence by improving testosterone.”
He went on to break down the specific benefits. First, lifting clears excess estrogen while naturally boosting progesterone, which means fewer mood swings, less PMS, and more stable cycles. Second, more muscle mass helps reduce insulin resistance, which improves energy, brain function, ovulation, and appetite control. Third, strength training lowers long-term cortisol, teaching the body to handle stress without staying in inflammation mode.
It doesn’t stop there. Dr. Eliopoulos added that weight training supports healthy testosterone levels in women—yes, women need it too—for libido, confidence, lean muscle, and sharper thinking. Finally, he pointed out how crucial it becomes during perimenopause. Lifting weights helps preserve bone density, reduce belly fat, stabilise mood, and prevent muscle loss at a time when estrogen and progesterone naturally decline.
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His advice? You don’t have to go heavy every day, but you do have to start. “If you’re not lifting for aesthetics, lift for your hormones,” he wrote, summing up why strength training should be non-negotiable for women at every stage of life.Download
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