A new study from Korea University has found that women who experience menopause before age 40 have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The research, published in JAMA Network Open on January 21, 2025, analyzed health data from over 1.1 million postmenopausal women in South Korea.
The findings suggest that the earlier menopause occurs, the greater the risk of diabetes, highlighting the crucial role of hormonal changes in metabolic health.
How Menopause Affects Diabetes Risk
Type 2 diabetes is a serious chronic disease that increases the risk of heart disease and early death. While genetics, obesity, and lifestyle factors are well-known risk factors, this study focuses on a women-specific factor: the age of menopause.
Menopause causes a significant drop in estrogen levels, which affects insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism. Estrogen helps the body regulate blood sugar, so losing it too early could make women more vulnerable to diabetes.
Key Findings
- Women who went through menopause before age 40 had a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who reached menopause at age 50 or older.
- The earlier menopause occurred, the greater the diabetes risk. This suggests a direct link between hormonal changes and metabolic health.
- The researchers recommend that women with premature or early menopause pay extra attention to their weight, exercise regularly, and maintain a balanced diet to help lower their diabetes risk.
Why Early Detection and Lifestyle Matter
Lead researcher Prof. Ga Eun Nam emphasizes the importance of early intervention:
“Women who have experienced premature menopause may have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, so it’s necessary to focus on maintaining a healthy weight and an active lifestyle.”
The study suggests that regular health check-ups and preventive care can help women who had early menopause reduce their diabetes risk. Prof. Nam adds,
“It’s important to deal with this risk early through regular medical check-ups and lifestyle adjustments.”
What This Means for Women’s Health
This study highlights the need for greater awareness and targeted prevention strategies. If health guidelines incorporate menopause timing as a risk factor for diabetes, doctors could offer earlier screenings and personalized prevention plans for women at higher risk.
According to Prof. Nam,
“Linking early menopause to diabetes risk could change healthcare by promoting targeted screening, updating clinical guidelines, and empowering women to take proactive steps for their health.”
This research adds to a growing body of evidence that hormonal changes play a major role in diabetes prevention and management. With better awareness and proactive healthcare, women who go through early menopause can take steps to protect their long-term metabolic health.
The research findings can be found in JAMA Network Open.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about 5 vitamins that may prevent complication in diabetes, and how to manage high blood pressure and diabetes with healthy foods.
For more health information, please see recent studies about vitamin D and type2 diabetes, and to people with type 2 diabetes, some fruits are better than others.
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