A new study published in the journal Circulation Research indicates that women who experience menopause later in life (age 55 or later) have healthier blood vessels and mitochondria, which likely contribute to their lower risk of strokes and heart attacks.
The study assessed the vascular health and other health markers of 92 women, including women with late-onset menopause, women with normal-onset menopause, and a younger pre-menopausal control group. The study assessed arterial dilation, mitochondrial health, and the levels of various molecules in the participants’ bloodstreams. Previous research has shown that women who hit menopause at age 55 or later are 20% less likely to develop heart disease compared to women who hit menopause in the usual age range (45 to 54 years old). The objective of this study was to help determine why these women are less likely to develop heart disease and whether it is related to vascular function.
The results showed that the women in the late-onset menopause group had significantly better vascular function compared to the normal-onset group. While the vascular function of the normal-onset group was on average 51% worse than the pre-menopausal group, the late-onset group’s function was only 24% worse. Interestingly, differences in the groups persisted over time, with the late-onset group having 44% better vascular function than the normal-onset group five years later. The late-onset group also showed better mitochondrial health and more favorable lipid and metabolite profiles than their normal-onset counterparts.
The authors of the study noted that age at menopause may be a female-specific risk factor that patients and doctors should be aware of regarding heart disease. While the exact mechanism of these results is unclear, the authors suggested that women who go through menopause at a later age seem to have an inherent protection from vascular dysfunction.
Sources: Circulation Research, Science Daily