A mother-of-two who started bodybuilding at 40 is one of a growing number of women using the sport to banish symptoms of the perimenopause, according to medical experts. With studies showing the sport’s effectiveness in reducing hot sweats, Danielle Cooper, 44, who was also suffering with brain fog and fatigue, started bodybuilding after hearing it could help to temper her symptoms.
Now she has won multiple medals and feels healthier than she did 10 years ago. Danielle, from Southport, Merseyside, says: “I’ve won seven golds and a PCA Pro Card this year, which is like the holy grail of bodybuilding. But, even better than any title, is how bodybuilding has made me feel. At 40 I had debilitating symptoms of perimenopause, like brain fog, fatigue, lack of focus and night sweats. Now, at 44, they’ve gone – I feel better than I did in my 30s.”
Medical experts say more women have turned to bodybuilding in the last decade – with beating menopausal symptoms being a key consideration. Dr Brendon Stubbs, a physiotherapy researcher at King’s College London, says: “It makes a lot of sense that women are taking up lifting around menopause.
“Once oestrogen drops, muscle and bone start going quicker and lifting weights is the best way we have to hold on to them. We’ve got decent trial evidence on hot flushes. A Swedish study had women lift three times a week for 15 weeks, and their hot flushes dropped by about 44%.”
The study found consistent resistance training over time improves the body’s internal thermostat. Researchers at Linköping University found that strenuous lifting stimulates the release of endorphins in the central nervous system. This chemical release directly stabilises the hypothalamus, which is the brain’s core temperature regulation centre.
Dr Stubbs says: “The women who didn’t train saw no change at all. If you can’t take HRT, or don’t want to, that’s worth knowing. Lifting helps with low mood too. There are over 30 trials on this now, and people who do strength training report fewer depressive symptoms. Low mood and poor sleep are really common around menopause, so that matters.”
Danielle is just 5ft 3in and a size 6, but when flexing her muscles on stage she could rival Arnold Schwarzenegger. She says: “You’d never know when I’m in a hoody on the school run that there’s a rock hard six pack and bulging biceps under there. I’m incredibly strong – I can lift up my husband.”
Danielle, who has two daughters, Sienna, 13, and Saffiah, 8, with her business owner husband, Wayne, runs an online coaching business for women. She says: “I’d been into fitness in my 20s, but then became a bit of a party girl and left the gym behind. Going into my 30s, I was a great mum, and a great wife – but I didn’t really look after myself, I was too busy looking after everyone else. Then perimenopause hit and the brain fog and hot flushes began. I felt rubbish.”
Her 40th birthday was a turning point. She says: “I wasn’t feeling great. I was perimenopausal and going through the motions of life. I knew something needed to change. I wanted to do something just for me.”
Having heard that bodybuilding was great for lifting the mood and general wellbeing, she found a local trainer – then entered her very first competition in secret in autumn 2024. She says: “I didn’t want anyone to know in case I was rubbish.” But Danielle came fifth – and fell in love with the sport. She says: “The buzz, the exhilaration … it was such a rush.”
It is not, however, for the faint hearted. In the months before a competition – which sees entrants stand on stage in different poses, to highlight different muscle groups – a gruelling training regime and diet is required, for body builders to reach peak “stage lean”.
Danielle says: “For five months before a show, I get up at 4.30am to do the first of two hour-long training sessions in the gym. I go to a pose coach to work on my positions and have had years of posing lessons. I watch what I eat and drink like a hawk, and taper down my calories as the show gets closer, to become as lean as I can. You want to see the muscle definition through the skin, the lines and ripples. That’s what ‘stage lean’ means.”
Several dark tans are also applied to highlight muscle tone. Danielle, who has her competition bikinis handmade in Manchester, says: “My girls love it, they think I look fabulous and so does Wayne – he’s incredibly proud of me. The girls say, ‘look at your muscles, Mummy, they’re massive!’”
And Danielle says bodybuilding and how it’s changed her health – physically and mentally – is worth sacrificing ice creams around the pool on holiday and other unhealthy treats for. She says: “When I stand on that stage during a competition, I forget all that – it’s all worth it.”
In 2025, Danielle entered a second competition – and triumphed. She says: “I won my class and went on to come third in the universe. Not bad for a beginner! And not bad for a perimenopausal mum, either.
“The training brought my focus back,” she says. “My mind felt razor sharp for the first time in years. What’s more, I was sleeping better, had more energy and was truly happy. I’ve found something that sets my soul on fire.”
This year, Danielle has competed across two federations, winning three British titles, seven golds and one PCA Pro Card. She says: “The PCA Pro Card sees you recognised as a credible athlete. It’s winning big.”
Danielle is currently riding high on her recent wins. And she has set her sights on a Universe Pro show, against contestants from all over the world, which kicks off in May 2028. She says: “I plan to take the crown.”
How to power up
Dr Brendon Stubbs shares everyday ways to start strength training. He says: “You don’t have to be a bodybuilder to reap the benefits in menopause. Anyone can start using strength training to reduce symptoms.”
- No gym needed: “Squats, sit-to-stands from a chair, press-ups against the worktop and lunges all count.”
- Twice a week: “Two sessions a week working your legs, back, chest and arms is a good start. Three is better.”
- Make it hard: “The last few reps should be a struggle. Build the weight up bit by bit.”
- Short bursts: “A few minutes of squats while the kettle boils adds up.”
- Carry more: “Take the heavy shopping bags, carry the washing upstairs, park further away.”
- Give it time: “In the trials, women saw changes after about 15 weeks.”
- Get help early: “A few sessions with a coach or physio is money well spent. If you have osteoporosis or pelvic floor problems, get advice first.”
Menopause benefits
Dr Nighat Arif, resident doctor on ITV’s This Morning and author of The Power of Menopause & Midlife, says body building and weight training both benefit women facing the perimenopause and menopause.
She says: “Bodybuilding and strength training overlap significantly and use much of the same equipment can help look after your muscles and bones. It’s about staying strong for everyday life, now and in the years ahead.”
Dr Arif says all kinds of exercise are helpful in overcoming menopausal symptoms. She explains: “It’s important to understand exercise isn’t a magic fix for menopause, but it can help with some of the things that make it feel so hard, such as poor sleep, low mood and tiredness. It’s about feeling better in yourself.”
And for those who don’t want to commit to the rigorous body building work outs, there are softer options. She says: “Movement doesn’t have to mean a punishing workout. A walk, a swim or some strength exercises all count. Find something you enjoy and can keep coming back to.”
