What is the Link Between Menopause and Diabetes?

Menopause is a season of major natural hormonal changes in a woman’s body, with the production of oestrogen and other hormones significantly decreasing. These changes can result in a wide range of health challenges and considerations. 

One chronic health condition that becomes at increased risk of development is diabetes, with research demonstrating clear links between an increased of developing type 2 diabetes and menopause.

 

Why are menopause and diabetes linked?

When menopause begins, the amount of oestrogen our bodies produce decreases. This can result in insulin resistance, a condition that causes the body’s cells to become less responsive to insulin. As insulin is the hormone responsible for regulating blood sugar levels, insulin resistance can result in high blood sugar levels. If these aren’t treated, type 2 diabetes can develop.

Alongside the impact of decreased oestrogen levels, menopausal women can also experience other factors that are likely to increase the risk of developing diabetes. They may be more likely to experience weight gain in areas like the waist and abdomen, both of which can also increase the risk of insulin resistance and the consequential development of diabetes.

It’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to the link between menopause and diabetes. By understanding how menopause can increase the likelihood, you can take control of a number of lifestyle factors that can positively contribute to a reduced health risk. 

 

How to reduce the risk of diabetes during menopause

Reducing the risk of diabetes during menopause is of crucial importance for women of all health backgrounds. 

One of the most important factors is the maintenance of a healthy weight. As excess body weight is a significant risk factor for diabetes, maintaining a healthy weight range is the first port of call in reducing your diabetes risk. Even if you’re entering into menopause carrying additional weight, there’s never a better time to focus on giving your body the loving support it needs to move through menopause. Simple lifestyle changes like increasing your exercise levels and maintaining a balanced diet can have an ongoing positive effect on weight management and maintenance. 

Remaining active, or building a regular exercise routine if you don’t already have one, is a crucial element in reducing the risk of diabetes during menopause. By aiming for a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise a day, you’ll benefit from increased health and wellbeing, ongoing mobility, and more control over your weight management. While cardio exercises (such as walking, swimming, riding or HIIT workouts) can be great tools in fighting against the risk of diabetes, strength training is also well worth your consideration. The muscle mass you build through strength training exercises can improve insulin sensitivity, reducing your risk of diabetes.

One of the lesser-known risk factors of diabetes is chronic stress. This can increase the risk of diabetes through its impact on blood sugar levels, with stress leading to rises in cortisol. Known as the ‘stress hormone’, high levels of cortisol over a prolonged time period can have a direct impact on the likelihood of developing diabetes. By practising relaxation techniques and removing external stressors wherever possible, you can prevent rises in cortisol that can negatively contribute to your diabetes risk.

 

Managing diabetes during menopause

For some women, managing diabetes during menopause isn’t about their potential risk of development, but about their pre-existing condition. By taking a proactive approach to this management, women can protect their ongoing health and wellbeing as they navigate menopause and diabetes simultaneously.

If you have diabetes and you’re approaching (or in the midst of) menopause, these factors are crucial to your ongoing wellbeing:

• Regular monitoring of blood sugar levels. This is essential to protecting your health throughout menopause, with blood sugar levels providing key indicators of how diabetes is impacting your body. Work closely with your healthcare provider to understand what your blood sugar levels can tell you about your health. They’ll also be able to point to any necessary changes in medication or diet that can assist in blood sugar regulation.

• Keep a close eye on your diet. By opting for a balanced diet that’s low in sugar and processed foods, you can help to regulate your blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of ongoing diabetes complications. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins are all key ingredients in a balanced diet, giving you the nutritional backing you need for simplified diabetes management during menopause.

• Increase or maintain your activity levels. Regular exercise is a fantastic way to help manage your daily blood sugar levels. As with women who haven’t developed diabetes, implementing 30 minutes of moderate to intense exercise a day is key in blood sugar level management and the minimisation of diabetes complications.

 

Diabetes, menopause and hormone therapy

As so many of the correlating factors between diabetes risks and menopause are linked to changing hormone levels, body-identical hormone treatments can be highly effective in reducing the impact of hormonal changes. For many women, this can reduce the risk of diabetes developing during menopause. 

Body-identical hormone therapy introduces hormones identical to those that have naturally decreased in production. This can mitigate the impact of falling hormone production, helping not only to reduce the risk of chronic diseases, but also to prevent menopause-related symptoms and disruptions.

 

Conclusion

While many of the challenges menopause brings can feel overwhelming, careful planning and proactive risk management can help to reduce the likelihood of diabetes developing in your menopausal transitions. The combination of simple lifestyle changes and body-identical hormone treatments can be powerful tools for women both at risk of developing diabetes and those managing diabetes as a pre-existing condition during menopause.

Find the highest quality of support for your menopause and chronic disease risk factors with the expert team at Australian Menopause Centre.