Menopause-Induced Metabolic Shifts: Implications for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Risk Original paper

What was studied?

The study examined the metabolic changes that occur during menopause, focusing on how menopause modulates circulating metabolites in midlife women. Researchers specifically analyzed 94 charged metabolites, including amino acids, fatty acids, and other small molecules, to assess how these metabolic changes correlate with the increased risk of chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, that affect postmenopausal women. The goal was to understand the broader metabolic shifts that occur during menopause and their potential implications for long-term health risks.

Who was studied?

The study involved 1,193 women from the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study, a community-based cohort of Japanese women aged between 40 and 60 years. The participants were divided into three groups based on their menopausal status: premenopausal, menopausal transition, and postmenopausal. To ensure that the results were not influenced by factors such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT), participants with certain health conditions or who had recently used HRT were excluded. The cohort was selected from Tsuruoka City, Japan, and included a diverse group of women across various stages of menopause, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the metabolic changes associated with this life stage.

Most important findings

The study revealed that menopause is associated with significant shifts in the metabolic profile of women, particularly in metabolites linked to cardiovascular and metabolic risks. As women transitioned from premenopausal to postmenopausal status, several metabolites, including those involved in the urea cycle, TCA cycle, and homocysteine metabolism, showed elevated levels. This included an increase in metabolites like ornithine, taurine, glutamine, and carnitine, which are connected to cardiovascular health risks, such as arteriosclerosis. These metabolic shifts could explain the heightened risk of cardiovascular diseases observed in postmenopausal women. Additionally, higher levels of amino acids such as glutamine and lysine were found, which are often associated with insulin resistance and increased risk for metabolic disorders like diabetes. The study also observed a shift in lipid metabolism, as certain lipid metabolites showed patterns similar to changes seen in traditional lipid markers like total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, which also change during menopause. These findings suggest that menopause accelerates metabolic changes that may contribute to the development of chronic diseases.

Key implications

The implications of this study are significant for clinical practice, as they suggest that menopause is not only a time of hormonal changes but also a pivotal period for metabolic health. The findings highlight the need for clinicians to monitor metabolic markers in women during the menopausal transition, as these shifts may predict long-term health outcomes such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Clinicians should consider metabolic profiling as a tool for identifying women at higher risk for these conditions and may need to implement early interventions, such as lifestyle modifications, to mitigate these risks. Moreover, the results emphasize the importance of personalized prevention strategies, particularly in postmenopausal women, as metabolic changes become more pronounced during this stage.