TMS: Menopause Before Age 40 Tied to Cardiovascular Risk, Higher Insulin Levels

THURSDAY, Oct. 29, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Premature menopause is associated with higher insulin levels and a greater risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study presented at the annual meeting of The Menopause Society, held from Oct. 20 to 24 in San Diego.Zailing Xing, Ph.D., from the University of Vermont in Burlington, and colleagues examined the association between age at menopause and CVD risk and cardiometabolic mediators related to insulin resistance. The analysis included 4,710 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 64 years participating in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study who were free from CVD at baseline.The researchers found that during a mean follow-up of 21.4 years, there were 1,570 cardiovascular events. Premature menopause (younger than 40 years) was associated with greater risks for CVD (hazard ratio [HR], 1.19) and coronary heart disease (CHD, HR, 1.30) compared with menopause at age 45 years or older. There were no associations between premature menopause and risk for stroke or heart failure. Early menopause (age 40 to 44 years) was not associated with risks for CVD, CHD, stroke, or heart failure. Associations were also seen for premature menopause and cardiometabolic factors, including higher insulin levels (9.3 percent increase) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; 9.9 percent increase), but not fasting glucose (0.8 percent increase). The association between premature menopause and CVD was partially mediated by insulin and HOMA-IR, which accounted for 19 and 19.3 percent of the total effects, respectively."Our findings suggest that insulin resistance may be one important pathway linking premature menopause with increased cardiovascular disease risk, highlighting the importance of cardiometabolic health in women who experience menopause before age 40," Xing said in a statement.Press ReleaseMore Information.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

TMS: Menopause Before Age 40 Tied to Cardiovascular Risk, Higher Insulin Levels

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