Estrogen may protect your heart before menopause. But when your estrogen levels drop during menopause, your heart may become more vulnerable to disease. Diet, exercise, and other lifestyle changes may reduce your risk.
Your estrogen levels begin to drop once you start perimenopause. Once in menopause, you’re unable to become naturally pregnant and may experience vasomotor symptoms, among other symptoms.
These changes occur due to the drop in estrogen levels. Estrogen may also have health-protecting benefits, so lower levels increase your risk of developing heart disease. But this doesn’t mean you will develop heart disease.
The
- Premature menopause (primary ovarian insufficiency): before age 40
- Early menopause: before age 45
- Late menopause: after age 55
Research suggests that estrogen may be cardioprotective (heart-protecting) in the years leading up to menopause.
More research, however, is needed to determine the exact mechanism by which estrogen protects the heart.
Because of the drop in estrogen levels, you may also be more vulnerable to:
- plaque (fat) buildup in your arteries (atherosclerosis)
- coronary heart disease
- heart attack
- stroke
Find out everything you need to know about heart disease.
Besides a drop in estrogen levels, other menopause-associated factors may increase your risk of heart disease.
Timing of natural menopause
Those who naturally enter menopause at a later age are
Speak with your doctor about preventing heart disease before, during, and after menopause.
Type of menopause
Research suggests that the type of menopause you experience
If you underwent bilateral oophorectomy (removal of both ovaries) before you were 40 years old without estrogen therapy and experienced surgical menopause as a result, you may be at higher risk.
Vasomotor symptoms
Night sweats and hot flashes are common vasomotor symptoms of menopause. But if you experience these during your menopause transition, you
Besides no longer being able to become naturally pregnant, menopause changes your body in other ways:
- Weight gain: After menopause, you may gain an average of
5 pounds (2.3 kilograms) , possibly due to lower estrogen levels, slower metabolism, or lifestyle factors. - High cholesterol: You may see an increase in your LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol levels
around 55 years of age . This may raise your risk of heart attack or stroke. - Blood sugar management: Lower estrogen levels
may cause more frequent and unpredictable blood sugar highs or lows, which may raise the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and weight gain (metabolic syndrome). - High blood pressure: Lower estrogen levels, a drop in physical activity, and weight gain
may contribute to higher blood pressure during menopause. It affects over70% of people older than 60 years. - Heart fat: Research suggests estrogen hormone therapy may slow fat buildup that often develops around the heart after menopause.
Some people may be at higher risk of developing heart disease while in menopause compared with others.
Your
- obesity
- high blood pressure, cholesterol, or triglycerides
- low levels of physical activity
- prediabetes or diabetes
- low sleep quality
- high levels of stress
- a family history of heart disease
While some of these factors you can control, other factors like genetics are uncontrollable.
Speak with your doctor about how to reduce your risk of heart disease if you’re in menopause
- Moving daily: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults 65 years and older get
at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity cardio weekly. - Eating well: Eating a balanced diet full of fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods may help reduce your risk of heart disease, among other conditions, as you get older.
- Avoiding smoking: Try to avoid smoking if you currently smoke, or speak with your doctor about a smoking cessation program.
- Maintaining a moderate weight: Diet and exercise should help with this. You might also try portion control or mindful eating.
- Getting enough sleep: Adults should aim for
at least 7 hours of sleep nightly, though this may vary among individuals. Speak with your doctor if you’re experiencing insomnia while in menopause. - Reducing alcohol intake: Women should try to drink no more than
one alcoholic beverage daily , and men should aim for two drinks or fewer. - Maintaining cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels: If the other strategies don’t help, you may want to speak with your doctor about medications to manage your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.
Learn more about preventing heart disease and the benefits of routine screening.
During menopause, your body makes less estrogen, which research suggests may protect heart health premenopause. The decline in estrogen may be associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
Lifestyle factors, genetics, and menopause-related factors may affect your risk of heart disease.
For factors you can control, speak with your doctor about what you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease. Some recommendations may include getting enough exercise, eating a nutritious diet, and avoiding smoking.
Check out Healthline’s heart health resource center.