Photo Illustration by Joules Garcia for Verywell Health; Getty Images
As women age, their bodies transform.
Fat more easily settles in their midsection.
They tend to process calories slower and exercise less.
Photo Illustration by Joules Garcia for Verywell Health; Getty Images
Bodily changes during the menopause transition increase the risk of metabolic conditions such as obesity and diabetes.
What is truly menopause, and what is due to other lifestyle factors?
Teasing out that difference could help clinicians treat a condition that is becoming increasingly deadly for older women.
The research on the link betweenmenopauseand liver health is nascent.
So far, only a smattering of animal studies and small observational studies have suggested a link.
Now, she said, interest in the effects on liver health is bubbling up.
If you look at obesity maps, its kind of terrifying.
I think were going to be hearing a lot more about this.
Parsing Menopause from Metabolic Changes
Many women experience the first symptoms ofperimenopausein their late 30s to 40s.
Thats when the balance of sex hormones starts to shift.
The median age for menopausewhen a woman no longer gets her periodis 52.
During this period, the body tends to store fat differently.
Where there used to be more surface-level fat, women may start accumulating it deeper in the abdomen.
Several animal studies and early human trials have started to probe that question.
However, that group included many women with obesity, which could have contributed to their outcomes.
The authors hypothesized that the risk difference has more to do with menopause than age.
Studies like these arent robust enough to conclude that the menopause transition causes liver fat build-up, Stuenkel said.
They are, at this point, hypothesis-generating.
They do suggest some possible mechanisms, however.
Such immune shifts could leave the liver vulnerable to disease progression.
Stuenkel said its possible that testosterone and other hormones play a significant role in liver health, too.
The FDA labels for many oral hormone therapies list liver disease as a contraindication.
Some studies indicate that giving estrogen transdermally could lead to better outcomes for people with liver disease.
But if they also had severe hot flashes, transdermal estrogen might provide some relief.
If that estrogen replacement proves to help their liver health, thats an added benefit.
How long can someone safely and effectively use it?
Whats the right dose?
Can it be used to prevent the disease, treat it, or both?
Most women will spend a third or more of their lives in postmenopause.
Unfortunately, women really have to take responsibility for their health.
Your doctor is only as good as her or his depth of knowledge in that area.
Avoiding smoking, alcohol, and processed foods can all help keep your liver humming.
Were not going to get another body.
We dont get a trade-in.
However, more research is needed to confirm the link between menopause and liver disease risk.
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