What are the dangers of premature menopause in women

Menopause is a sign of female aging. The average age of menopause for Chinese women is 49.5 years old. Most women go through menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. Clinically, menopause before the age of 40 is called premature menopause. Menarche and menopause age are closely related to women's health. Women who go through menopause before the age of 40 will face a variety of health risks in the future, such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.

1. Osteoporosis

The risk of osteoporosis increases significantly if you reach menopause before age 46!

A large cross-sectional study conducted by Professor Chen Gang of the Endocrinology Department of Fujian Provincial Hospital, Fujian Medical University and others showed that among Chinese women, those with late menarche and menopause (≥18 years and >53 years, respectively) have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), while early menopause (≤46 years) can increase the risk of osteoporosis. The results of the study showed that compared with those who menopause at the age of 50, those who menopause before the age of 46 in my country have a significantly higher risk of osteoporosis. As the age of menopause is delayed, the risks of CVD and osteoporosis are both decreasing.

2. Cardiovascular Disease

Women who go through menopause before age 42 have twice the risk of ischemic stroke.

The MESA study published in 2012 showed that women who experienced early menopause (before the age of 46) had twice the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke as women who experienced menopause at normal ages. The study included both white, Chinese and black subjects.

Ovarian failure and decreased estrogen levels may be the main causes of ischemic cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. Cancer is no longer synonymous with death, but cardiovascular disease is the potential killer that threatens women's health. In the ranking of causes of death among women in my country, heart disease has surpassed stroke and tumors to become the leading cause of death.

The results of this study remind us that increasing health education for postmenopausal women is an important measure to prevent coronary heart disease and stroke in women.

3. Diabetes

Early menopause (menopause before age 40) is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

A study published in DiabetesCare showed that early menopause (menopause before the age of 40) is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The results showed that for every standard deviation earlier in menopause, the risk of diabetes increased by 8 percent; those with a shorter reproductive life span (the difference between the age of menopause and the age of menarche) were also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes; for every standard deviation shorter, the risk increased by 6 percent.

Researchers pointed out that the reason why early menopause leads to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes is still unclear, and it may be related to a shortened exposure to estrogen and/or early menopause with a relative dominance of estrogen. In addition, early menopause may be a sign of premature aging. Elsa Strotmeyer of the University of Pittsburgh believes that assessing reproductive life span is an indication of the total exposure time to endogenous estrogen. She believes that those who reach menopause before the age of 40 may be considered a high-risk group for diabetes and should undergo diabetes screening.