The Link Between Menopause and Diabetes

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The Link Between Menopause and Diabetes

Friday, November 13th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

How, if at all, are menopause and diabetes related? Changes in blood sugar levels throughout menopause are related to the body’s hormonal changes. On top of the knowledge we already possess about menopause, it has recently been discovered that diabetes may result from changing hormones throughout menopause.

There are a number of symptoms that occur in most women who are perimenopausal or menopausal. All women will eventually experience menopause, although the symptoms they experience will vary. Weight gain and trouble sleeping are common symptoms of menopause, as are hot flashes and emotional ups and downs. But since diabetes may be related to menopause, here are some key facts you should know.

Many of us who are going through menopause experience restless nights. You will have higher blood sugar levels when you don’t get adequate sleep. As we all know, weight gain while going through menopause will happen, however it will also upset your blood sugar levels. Diabetes may result from that in its turn.

Post-menopausal women participated in a four-year study which measured their blood flow and the functionality of vessels and arteries. Every six months, these women were examined and subjected to blood testing. Although none of these women had diabetes before the test, the study deduced that a number of them became diabetic throughout the time they were being tested. Blood flow in the veins and arteries had shifted dramatically.

Researchers cannot say with certainty that cell dysfunction is the root cause of diabetes in menopausal women, or if it is a result of having diabetes in the first place, even though the results may have shown a direct link. The argument that diabetes caused the cell dysfunction doesn’t apply because none of the women in the study had diabetes when it started. Instead, researchers are inclined to believe that dysfunction in cells lining blood vessels may lead toward diabetes.

The research suggests that menopause and diabetes are linked, however the link is not yet proven. It is a good thought to have blood tests done for your blood sugar levels every six months, particularly if you might be at risk for diabetes. Eat a healthful menopause diet, do your exercises, and talk to a doctor if you suspect you might have symptoms of diabetes.

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