Early menopause is associated with health risks later in life. | engin akyurt photo on Unsplash
What you probably already know: Early menopause carries a host of health risks. New research presented at The Menopause Society’s 2025 annual meeting highlights a potentially significant link between earlier menopause, diminished cardiac function and poorer brain health, shedding light on how midlife biological transitions could carry long-term neurological consequences. Heart disease and Alzheimer’s already affect women disproportionately, as women are more likely to die of cardiac disease than men, and women under the age of 65 are twice as likely to die from a heart attack. Women also account for about two-thirds of Alzheimer’s cases in the United States.
Why it matters: Previous research has shown that heart disease increases the risk of dementia. Despite these links, less is understood about how early menopause might influence the relationship between brain and cardiac health. It’s important to note that the research stops short of proving a direct correlation, but the implications are significant for clinicians and researchers, who may need to consider when menopause begins as a factor when assessing women’s long-term health. “These findings underscore the importance of integrating specific factors, such as age at menopause, into research on dementia risk and informing targeted prevention and intervention strategies,” says Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society, an Ohio-based nonprofit founded in 1989.
What it means: The Menopause Society also finds that hormone therapy during perimenopause or early postmenopause “may or may not help” alleviate symptoms of anxiety, including nervousness, fear and worry, and that women who experience early menopause face a 27% higher risk of metabolic syndrome that could lead to diabetes, such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar and abnormal cholesterol levels. “Our findings show that age at natural menopause isn’t just a reproductive milestone. It’s a powerful indication of long-term cardiometabolic risk,” says Dr. Shefali Seta Verman, one of the study’s authors. “Recognizing early menopause as a marker for metabolic syndrome gives clinicians a crucial window to identify at-risk women sooner and intervene earlier to prevent heart disease, diabetes and other complications.”
What happens next: Study authors hope the findings will give clinicians tools to recognize early symptoms that often go unnoticed. Overall, they suggest the need to move toward holistic, preventive and individualized care rather than reactive treatments, personalized risk profiling based on when menopause begins and research into mechanisms that link hormone changes to aging. “This is yet another example of how premature and early menopause are linked, with increased risk for adverse health outcomes, Faubion says, adding that understanding potential problems will guide medical professionals to intervene earlier “to offset those risks.”
