Does Menopause Increase Risk Of Diabetes?

By Author: Dr. Victor Marchione
Total Articles: 90
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It is an idea that has been hinted at for some time, and its
answer is important for all middle-aged women. Does
menopause influence one's risk for type 2 diabetes? With the latest health news, it's time to don a smile, because
researchers found the answer to be "no."

Postmenopausal women had no higher risk for diabetes
whether they experienced natural menopause or had their
ovaries removed, according to the national clinical trial of
1,237 women at high risk for diabetes, ages 40 to 65.

In other words, menopause had no additional effect on risk
for diabetes. Menopause remains one of many small steps
in aging and it doesn't mean women's health will be worse
after going through this transition. The results are published
in the August issue of "Menopause."

The findings also shed light on the impact of diet and
exercise and hormone replacement therapy on the health of
postmenopausal women. Previous studies had shown that
menopause could speed the progression ...
... to diabetes because
of the higher levels of testosterone. All the women in the
study had "glucose intolerance," meaning their bodies
struggled to process blood sugar into energy.

The researchers have shown that lifestyle interventions can
help prevent diabetes in those with glucose intolerance.
These interventions work well in women who have gone
through menopause.

According to the new study, for every year 100 women
observed, 11.8 premenopausal women developed diabetes,
compared to 10.5 among women in natural menopause and
12.9 cases among women who had their ovaries removed.

But for those who had their ovaries removed and
engaged in lifestyle changes, the rate of diabetes
plummeted to 1.1. Those changes included losing seven
percent of their body weight (that would be 12.6 pounds for
a 180-pound woman) and exercising for at least 150
minutes a week.
They found these results surprising, as the women had gone
on hormone replacement therapy, which many fear
escalates the risk for many health issues. The message to take away from this is that lifestyle changes to shed pounds could reduce your risk of developing diabetes.

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