As hormones shift in perimenopause, our internal chemistry changes too. Discover how methylation, detox pathways, and traditional Chinese medicine explain new sensitivities and how to support your body through the transition.
The Silent Shift
Perimenopause can feel like a mystery. One day everything feels fine, and the next, you’re reacting to foods, fragrances, or even your pets; things that never used to bother you. It’s easy to blame hormones, but the truth runs deeper. What’s really happening is a shift in body chemistry, particularly in how we detoxify, balance hormones, and regulate inflammation.
The Biochemical Story
During perimenopause, changing levels of oestrogen, progesterone, and cortisol influence our body’s natural detoxification system, the methylation cycle.
Methylation is the process that switches genes on and off, clears excess hormones, and supports the nervous system.
As we age and nutrient demand increases, methylation efficiency often slows. That can mean:
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Lower production of SAMe and glutathione, two essential compounds for detox and antioxidant defence.
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Slower clearance of hormones and environmental toxins.
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More inflammation and oxidative stress, leading to new sensitivities and allergic responses.
What feels like “sudden allergies” or unexplained reactivity is often the result of a biochemical traffic jam, a system working harder to keep up.
The TCM Perspective
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views this transition through the lens of balance and energy flow.
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Kidney Yin and Yang represent our reproductive and adrenal essence. As we age, this essence naturally declines, mirroring the hormonal changes of perimenopause.
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Liver Qi governs the smooth flow of energy and emotions. When it stagnates under stress or toxin load, we feel irritability, bloating, and tension.
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Spleen Qi manages digestion and nutrient transformation; when weakened, energy drops and fluid retention increases.
Together, these patterns reflect what biochemistry shows us: as detox slows and the body works harder, inflammation, dryness, heat, and new sensitivities emerge.
Supporting the Shift
Perimenopause isn’t a decline, it’s a recalibration. Supporting your chemistry during this time helps the body adapt gracefully.
Nutritional Support:
First and foremost, have your bloods done and ordered by a qualified practitioner so they can understand your chemistries.
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Feed your methylation pathways with B2, B6, B9 (5-MTHF), B12, magnesium, and zinc.
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Protect antioxidants with alpha-lipoic acid, glutathione, quercetin, & vitamin C.
Lifestyle Support:
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Prioritise rest, hydration, and gentle movement.
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Eat warm, nourishing meals that stabilise blood sugar and calm the nervous system.
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Support your Kidney and Spleen Qi with root vegetables, soups, and grounding herbs.
This approach reduces histamine load, balances hormones, and restores resilience from the inside out.
The Takeaway
Perimenopause is not the body failing; it’s the body re-writing its chemistry.
When you understand how methylation and detox pathways evolve, you move from frustration to empowerment. Support your biochemistry, and your body will meet you halfway. Calmer skin, steadier mood, and renewed energy are all signs that balance is returning.
Further Reading
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Alu Hypomethylation in Naturally and Surgically Postmenopausal Women: A Cross-Sectional Study.
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Neuroendocrine Aging Precedes Perimenopause and Is Regulated by DNA Methylation.
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DNA Methylation and Hormone Regulation in Aging and Menopause: Emerging Links.