Age of first menstruation and menopause, random data? It is difficult, if not impossible, to predict them. And yet, these two ages could have an impact on the life expectancy and health of women. In any case, this is the conclusion of two American studies published in the journal Menopause.
Thus, the researchers observed more than 16,000 women. Among them, those who had their periods late (after 12 years) and whose menopause did not arrive until after the age of 50, which corresponds to around 40 years of fertility, are more likely (55%) to live over 90 years old. And overall, these women were healthier (less coronary heart disease) than those who had their period early and had fewer menstrual cycles.
The second study (carried out on more than 124,000 women) looked at the link between estrogen and type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that when menopause occurred before the age of 46, the risk of diabetes was increased by 25%, while it fell to 12% for postmenopausal women after 55 years. What about the duration of the reproductive cycle? Again, women with a short cycle (less than 30 years old) are more at risk since researchers estimate that they have 37% of contracting type 2 diabetes (compared to 23% for women with a cycle of more than 45 years old). A discrepancy that researchers explain by the hormonal changes involved in menopause.
These studies are part of a series of research on longevity, the future results of which will surely interest us. To be continued!
