Is menopause under the age of 40 likely to shorten your lifespan? Study warns women: Cancer death rate is 4 times higher and may lead to early dementia
If women enter menopause before the age of 40, may it be associated with a higher risk of death? Research published in “Endocrine Abstracts” and presented at the European Endocrinology Conference shows that symptoms such as menopause, infertility, decreased sexual desire, and hot flashes before the age of 40 are closely related to the problem of “premature ovarian insufficiency” (POI), and may lead to longer life expectancy. High risk of cardiovascular, cancer and all-cause mortality.
Is “premature menopause” likely to shorten a woman’s lifespan? Study: Cancer death risk 4 times higher
The University of Oulu in Finland collected health data on 5,800 women who entered menopause before the age of 40 and used them as the experimental group; 22,589 women who did not enter menopause were included in the control group for comparison. To understand whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) would have a protective effect on women with early menopause, the research team specifically isolated subjects who had received hormone replacement therapy for 6 months (or more).
The research team conducted random interviews for 17.5 years for all groups. During this period, 9.8% of women in the experimental group died; 2.9% of women in the control group died. Further analysis results showed that compared with subjects in the control group, women in the experimental group had the following results in the following three major risk indicators:
Risk of all-cause death: For women who do not use/use hormone replacement therapy, the risk ratios are 1.60/2.27 respectively, which means that the risk of all-cause death in the experimental group is 1.6 times/2.27 times that of the control group.
Cancer death risk: For women who do not use/use hormone replacement therapy, the risk ratio is 4.04/1.78 respectively, which means that the risk of cancer death in the experimental group is 4.04 times/1.78 times that of the control group.
Risk of cardiovascular death: For women who do not use/use hormone replacement therapy, the risk ratio is 2.30/2.53 respectively, which means that the risk of cardiovascular death in the experimental group is 2.30 times/2.53 times that of the control group.
“Top 10 menopausal symptoms” before the age of 40: Experts: Women may consider interventional hormonal therapy
Study author Dr. Hilla Haapakoski said that the findings indicate that premature ovarian failure may be associated with an increased risk of all-cause death, cardiovascular death, and cancer death, and that even with the intervention of hormone replacement therapy, the risk cannot be eliminated. However, Haapakoski emphasized that the results cannot be used as clinical treatment recommendations, and continued attention needs to be paid in the future to whether hormone replacement therapy can extend the life expectancy of women with premature ovarian failure.
“Although most women enter menopause naturally between the ages of 45 and 55, 1% of women experience premature menopause or premature ovarian failure and enter menopause before the age of 40, and may experience related symptoms such as longer or more variable menstrual cycles. Short, irregular menstruation, hot flashes, night sweats, weight fluctuations, heart palpitations, sleep problems, mood changes (such as depression or anxiety), vaginal dryness, decreased libido, etc.”
Although the study results do not emphasize the benefits of hormone replacement therapy, past studies have confirmed that women who receive this therapy for at least 6 months are about 50% less likely to die from cancer or other causes. Therefore, Haapakoski recommends that all women who stop menstruating before the age of 40 should intervene in contraceptive treatment early to help prevent potential cardiovascular disease, dementia and osteoporosis; as for women with breast cancer, uterine cancer or a history of coagulation disorders Women must thoroughly discuss treatment with their physician.
Is premature menopause related to “premature dementia”? The risk is 1.3 times higher than that of ordinary women
Is the potential harm of premature menopause to women also related to “dementia”? The American Heart Association (AHA) published a document in 2022 warning that women who enter menopause before the age of 40 are 35% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than ordinary women; and women who enter menopause before the age of 45, 65 The risk of being diagnosed with early-onset dementia is 1.3 times higher than that of ordinary women.
Research suggests that reduced estrogen levels in postmenopausal women may be a major factor in the development of dementia. Long-term lack of estrogen will increase the “oxidative stress” response in women, which is significantly related to increasing the rate of brain aging and causing related cognitive impairment. Lack of exercise and bad habits such as smoking or drinking are more likely to double the risk of dementia. As for women who enter menopause after the age of 52, the risk of dementia is not much different from that of ordinary women.
Study author Hao Wenting said that early menopause may be related to cancer (ovarian cancer, cervical cancer), uterine abnormalities (such as ovary removal), cancer drugs (such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy), and even obesity, environmental hormones, stress hormones or genetics, etc. . Women with the above conditions are urged to pay special attention to menopausal symptoms before the age of 40. If obvious signs appear, they should seek medical treatment as soon as possible to avoid affecting their daily life.
Source:
Early menopause may raise risk of dementia later in life
Why are women more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease?
Mortality among women with POI, nationwide register based case-control study
Extended reading:
Young women have an increased risk of premature ovarian failure. These four types of people need to be extra careful!
