Premature & Early Menopause: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment (2024)

FAQs

What can trigger early menopause? ›

Women with premature or early menopause have reduced oestrogen levels, which increases long-term health risks of osteoporosis and heart disease. Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) or the oral contraceptive pill will help to reduce these risks and should be taken until the expected age of menopause.

The main treatment for early menopause is taking medicines such as the combined contraceptive pill or HRT to replace your missing hormones. You can also try making lifestyle changes to help manage your symptoms.

Menopause that happens before age 40 is called premature menopause. Menopause that happens between 40 and 45 is called early menopause. About 5% of women naturally go through early menopause.

Can you reverse early menopause? You can't reverse menopause or make your ovaries function normally again. However, your provider can help reduce the symptoms and side effects of menopause. In the case of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), there's a small possibility you'll regain ovarian function.

Some symptoms of hyperthyroidism can also mimic those of the menopause transition, including hot flashes, heat intolerance, palpitations (short episodes of rapid heartbeat), tachycardia (persistent rapid heartbeat), and insomnia.

Vitamins B6 and B12

How it can help during menopause: Vitamin B6 may help ward off menopausal depression and increase energy by boosting serotonin. B vitamins may also help with insomnia and possibly even reduce hot flashes. They are also important for cognitive functions.

“We discovered that menopause speeds up cellular aging by an average of 6 percent,” said Horvath, who is also a professor in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health . “That doesn't sound like much but it adds up over a woman's lifespan.”

How do I know if it's early menopause? ›

Common physical symptoms of menopause and perimenopause include: hot flushes, when you have sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest which can make you dizzy. difficulty sleeping, which may be a result of night sweats and make you feel tired and irritable during the day.

Menopause is divided into three basic stages: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. During this time, the ovaries begin to atrophy which causes a decline in the production of the hormones that stimulate the menstrual cycle; estrogen and progesterone.

Surgery to remove both ovaries causes acute, permanent treatment-induced menopause. Chemotherapy drugs can stop the ovaries from working properly, leading to treatment-induced menopause. This may be temporary or permanent depending on your age, the type of drugs, the dose of drugs and the length of treatment.

Most women experience menopause between the ages of 45 and 55 years as a natural part of biological ageing. Menopause is caused by the loss of ovarian follicular function and a decline in circulating blood oestrogen levels. The menopausal transition can be gradual, usually beginning with changes in the menstrual cycle.

Understanding the menopausal transition

The menopausal transition most often begins between ages 45 and 55. It usually lasts about seven years but can be as long as 14 years. The duration can depend on lifestyle factors such as smoking, age it begins, and race and ethnicity.

And for every additional serving of refined pasta and rice a woman ate each day, menopause was on average 1.5 years earlier. Researchers also found that a higher intake of two nutrients, vitamin B₆ and zinc, also appeared to delay menopause — by 0.6 and 0.3 years, respectively.