Early Menopause and Your Heart
Thursday, September 2, 2010 at 6:35AM
Women who reach menopause before the age of 46 may be at twice the risk of heart attack and stroke later in life than women whose menopause occurs later (the average age is 51). Researchers at the University of Alabama studied more than 2,500 women who were aged 45 to 84 when the investigation began in 2000. Of all the women participating, 18 percent said they experienced menopause naturally before age 46 while 10 percent reported that menopause occurred before that age due to the surgical removal of their ovaries. None of these women had heart problems or a stroke before the age of 55, but after that, the researchers reported, women who had early menopause (naturally or otherwise) were more than twice as likely to have had a heart attack, stroke, chest pain (angina), heart bypass surgery or a suddenly stopped heart than women who reached menopause later. These increased risks were apparent even after researchers took weight gain into consideration. The study was presented at a meeting of the Endocrine Society in June.
My take? Many women don't realize that no matter when they reach menopause, by the age of 65, their rate of heart disease equals that of men. In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death among women (claiming nearly 500,000 lives per year compared to about 40,000 for breast cancer). To lower your risk of heart disease, don’t smoke, watch your blood pressure and cholesterol, get checked for diabetes, stay close to your ideal weight and get regular physical activity. I also recommend an anti-inflammatory diet with lots of omega-3 fatty acids, either in the form of omega-3 rich foods or as supplements.
More information on staying at your ideal weight during menopause, including some potentially helpful supplements.
Reader Comments (1)
This news is quite scary. There are many women who have reached menopause at an early age and it's alarming to know that this may post risks to their health.