Priyanka Tiwari
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A recent study suggests that women who experience menopause later in life tend to have healthier blood vessels, which may significantly reduce their risk of heart disease. The research, published in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation Research, highlights how menopause timing plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health.
For most of their lives, women generally have a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes compared to men. However, after menopause, this risk rises and eventually surpasses that of men. The study found that women who stop menstruating at age 55 or later are much less likely to suffer heart attacks or strokes in their postmenopausal years.
Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder suggest that these findings could pave the way for new treatments, including dietary interventions, to help reduce heart disease risks in women.
The Science Behind the Findings
Sanna Darvish, a PhD candidate in the university’s Department of Integrative Physiology, explained that the study is among the first to pinpoint the specific physiological benefits of late-onset menopause.
To conduct the research, scientists assessed the vascular health of 92 women, focusing on brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD)—a measure of how well the main blood vessel in the upper arm expands with increased blood flow.
Their findings confirmed that all postmenopausal women had worse arterial function than their premenopausal counterparts. However, those who experienced menopause later had a significant advantage.
How Late-Onset Menopause Offers Protection
Matthew Rossman, an assistant research professor and the study’s senior author, noted that about 10% of women experience late-onset menopause. These women appeared to be somewhat shielded from the rapid decline in vascular health that typically follows menopause.
Specifically, vascular function in the late-onset group was only 24% worse compared to premenopausal women, whereas in the normal-onset group, it was 51% worse. This protective effect persisted even five years after menopause, with the late-onset group maintaining a 44% better vascular function than those who underwent menopause at a typical age.
The Role of Mitochondria and Blood Metabolites
The study suggests that this health benefit is linked to better mitochondrial function, which leads to fewer harmful free radicals in the body. Additionally, blood tests revealed differences between the two groups—women who experienced menopause later had healthier levels of 15 different lipid-related metabolites.
"Our data suggest that women who reach menopause later have a natural protection against vascular dysfunction caused by oxidative stress over time," Rossman explained.
These findings highlight the importance of menopause timing in long-term heart health and may open new avenues for preventive strategies against heart disease in women.
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