Menopause has no impact on diabetes

ANN ARBOR, Mich., July 26 (UPI) -- Menopause has little or no impact on whether women become more at risk for diabetes, researchers at the University of Michigan Health System say.

Lead author Dr. Catherine Kim -- an associate professor of internal medicine and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan Health System -- says post-menopausal women had no higher risk for diabetes whether they experienced natural menopause or had their ovaries removed.

Kim used data from the national clinical trial of 1,237 women ages 40-65 at high risk for diabetes.

"Menopause is one of many small steps in aging and it doesn't mean women's health will be worse after going through this transition, Kim says in a statement.

Previous evidence has suggested menopause would speed the progression to diabetes because post-menopausal women have relatively higher levels of the hormone testosterone, which is considered a risk factor for diabetes.

However, the recent study shows healthy outcomes for postmenopausal women, Kim says.

For every year 100 women were observed, 11.8 premenopausal women developed diabetes, compared to 10.5 among women in natural menopause and 12.9 cases among women whose ovaries had been removed, the study says.