Cycling vs Running for Perimenopause: Which Workout Works Harder for You?
Cycling and running both offer real benefits during perimenopause. Compare the two to find out which suits your body, joints, and hormonal health best.
Why Exercise Choices Matter During Perimenopause
Perimenopause brings a range of physical changes that make the right type of exercise more important than ever. Declining estrogen affects bone density, muscle mass, cardiovascular health, mood, and metabolic rate. Regular exercise helps counter all of these effects, but not all exercise is equal. Cycling and running are both popular, accessible forms of cardiovascular exercise with loyal followings, and both deliver genuine benefits during the perimenopausal years. However, they place different demands on the body, carry different injury risks, and may be more or less suitable depending on your health history, current fitness level, and the symptoms you are trying to manage.
Cardiovascular Benefits of Both
Both running and cycling are excellent cardiovascular workouts that improve heart health, a priority during perimenopause as estrogen loss increases cardiovascular risk. Both raise the heart rate, improve aerobic capacity, support healthy blood pressure, and help manage cholesterol levels. Studies show that women who engage in regular aerobic exercise during perimenopause have lower rates of cardiovascular disease later in life. Running tends to burn slightly more calories per hour for equivalent effort because it engages more muscle groups and requires the body to support its own weight. Cycling burns fewer calories per session at lower intensities but can be sustained for longer periods, which makes total calorie expenditure comparable when session duration is factored in.
Impact on Bone Density
Bone density declines significantly during perimenopause due to falling estrogen, making bone health a central concern. Running is a weight-bearing activity, meaning it applies mechanical load to the bones of the legs, hips, and spine. This loading stimulus is essential for maintaining and building bone density. Research consistently shows that weight-bearing exercise, including running, helps slow bone loss during and after menopause. Cycling, by contrast, is largely non-weight-bearing. While it builds leg muscle, it does not provide the same bone loading stimulus as running. Women who rely solely on cycling for exercise may need to supplement their routine with weight-bearing activities or resistance training to protect bone density.
Joint Health and Injury Risk
Joint pain and stiffness are common perimenopausal symptoms linked to declining estrogen affecting joint lubrication and cartilage. This makes injury risk and joint impact relevant factors in choosing an exercise type. Running is a high-impact activity with significant force through the knees, hips, and ankles. For women who already experience joint pain or who are returning to exercise after a break, starting with high-volume running can lead to injury. Cycling is low-impact and places far less stress on the joints, making it more accessible for women with knee pain, hip issues, or those recovering from injury. Indoor cycling also eliminates the risk of falls. For women with significant joint symptoms, cycling may be the more sustainable entry point.
Mood, Sleep, and Hot Flash Management
Both running and cycling stimulate the release of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine, all of which support mood during the emotional turbulence that perimenopause can bring. Regular aerobic exercise in either form reduces anxiety, lifts low mood, and improves sleep quality, which is often severely disrupted during perimenopause. Some evidence suggests that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise can reduce the frequency and severity of hot flashes, though the research is mixed. Both running and cycling count as moderate-to-vigorous intensity depending on effort level. The key is consistency rather than the specific activity chosen. Exercise you enjoy and can do regularly will provide better mood and sleep benefits than a theoretically superior option you dread.
Muscle Mass and Metabolic Rate
Perimenopause accelerates the loss of muscle mass, which slows metabolism and contributes to weight gain, particularly around the abdomen. While both running and cycling build leg and glute muscle to some degree, neither is as effective as resistance training for building and preserving muscle mass. Between the two, cycling at higher resistance levels, particularly on hills or with interval-style training, can provide a reasonable muscular stimulus for the lower body. Running at varied paces and inclines does the same. If preserving muscle mass and metabolic rate is a priority, adding two sessions of strength training per week alongside either cardio activity will deliver far better results than cardio alone.
Which Should You Choose?
The honest answer is that the best exercise is the one you will do consistently. If you love the outdoors and find running mentally restorative, it offers the added bone density benefit that cycling does not. If you have joint pain, prefer cycling, or want a sustainable activity you can do regardless of injury history, cycling is an excellent choice that protects the joints while delivering strong cardiovascular benefits. Many women find the most effective approach is to combine both, using cycling during high-symptom periods when joints are painful and running when feeling stronger. Adding resistance training to either routine closes the gap on bone and muscle benefits. Start where you are, build gradually, and prioritise consistency over intensity.
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