Menopause is an inevitable experience that many women will have to face at a certain point in their lives. It comes with many symptoms and changes, some of which are now commonly known, such as vaginal atrophy, hot flashes, mood changes, and forgetfulness, while others are less widely known or spoken of but carry the potential to impact the livelihood of the person experiencing them negatively.
Menopause can cease to be an agonizing experience that you have to dread if there is enough information shared about some of the risks associated with it and what treatments are available to mitigate the onset of them.
The following medical illnesses are some of which you may develop if your menopausal symptoms go unchecked or you don’t implement lifestyle changes to compensate for the loss of estrogen and progesterone in your body.
Heart Diseases
According to the CDC, 1 in 5 female deaths recorded in 2020 was related to a cardiovascular illness. Although it might not seem obvious at first glance, menopause plays a critical role in the continued decline in one’s cardiovascular health. Studies have shown that the complex hormonal changes that take place during menopause not only impact the reproductive system but also have a ripple effect throughout the whole body.
Menopause affects the heart through the hormone called estrogen. Estrogen is most commonly known for its function during a woman’s childbearing years, starting from the first period up until menopause sets in.
Although it plays a major role as a sex hormone, it also contributes to health functions unrelated to fertility, and this is where its role in cardiovascular functions steps in.
Research has shown that estrogen prevents high cholesterol levels by reducing the build-up of fatty plaques in the arteries. Meaning that when menopause sets in, and estrogen levels in the body start to decline, you risk experiencing elevated cholesterol levels, which will increase circulatory diseases.
Palpitations, although usually harmless, have also been noted as a side effect of the rapid changes in hormone levels during menopause and perimenopause.
Osteoporosis
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis affects 1 in 2 women over 50. It is a condition that causes bones to thin and weaken over time, thus becoming more susceptible to unexpected and sudden bone fractures.
The bone is made out of an inner sponge-like material called the trabecular bone. An outer shell of dense bone encases this. When osteoporosis happens, it weakens the sponge-like material’s internal structure, making the sponge’s holes more numerous and larger.
Generally speaking, as we age, our bones become weaker and more prone to damage. However, the drop in progesterone and estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause has been shown to directly impact the increase in the rate at which bones degenerate.
It is important to note that although the drop in hormone levels experienced during menopause hugely impacts bone density in women, it is not the only factor responsible for it. There are lifestyle choices that one can make to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, such as quitting smoking.
Smoking has been shown to increase the risk for osteoporosis by increasing cortisol levels in the body, which then causes an imbalance in estrogen as well as other hormones necessary for bone density. Taking vitamin D supplements or being out in the sun for at least an hour daily will help produce enough vitamin D essential for bone density.
Furthermore, implementing weight training into a workout regimen and eating a bone-healthy diet high in vitamin D and calcium strengthens bones.
Sleep Disorders
According to the Sleep Foundation Organization, “on average, around 12% of women experience sleep complaints. As women age into their late 40s to early 50s, that number increases dramatically to 40%.”
Sleep disorders during menopause are directly linked to the reduction in the production of progesterone and estrogen, which causes a host of symptoms that make it impossible to sleep peacefully through the night.
These symptoms include hot flashes and the unexpected and sudden waves of heat enough to cause sweat breakouts all over the body. Hot flushes typically begin in the face and then spread to the chest and the rest of the body. They can last from anywhere between 30 seconds to 5 minutes. The body drops its core temperature and maintains a relatively low temperature throughout the night for good sleep—the lower the body temperature is, the more likely it is that a person will get a very good sleep. It is easy to see how hot flushes can disrupt a healthy sleeping pattern, leading to insomnia.
It can be easy to discount insomnia as a less significant medical illness due to the importance of good sleep being underestimated amid this hustle culture. However, insomnia should be treated as a serious illness because the worst cases of insomnia have been reported to contribute to memory loss, dementia, and depression, as well as elevating the risks of cardiovascular health risks.
This is Where Hormone Replacement Therapy Comes In
Hormone replacement therapy focuses on replacing the naturally produced estrogen and progesterone that the body can no longer have as a result of menopause. There are two main types of therapy.
- Systemic hormone therapy can be administered through the pill, ring, gel, skin patch, or spray form. This type usually contains a higher dose of estrogen that will be absorbed throughout the whole body.
- Low-dose vaginal products come in the form of tablet, cream, or ring form that is inserted into the vagina. This one is usually low-dose as it mainly aims at treating symptoms such as vaginal atrophy or dryness.
Hormone replacement therapy has been garnering a lot of attention as a controversial treatment path as of late. What was once one of the most commonly prescribed treatments in the late 1990s all but vanished as a source of treatment in the early 2000s due to medical misinformation that spread like wildfire.
Medical research has since tried to recover from this setback by releasing lengthy research on its positive impact on women of all ages esp, especially for those going through menopause. It is imperative that when you approach your medical practitioner, you ask for the health risks associated with hormone replacement therapy, keeping your medical history in mind—this will paint a full picture of what you can and cannot tolerate.
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