Air Pollution and Menopause Symptoms

Air pollution can worsen menopause symptoms. That is the finding of a study by researchers at the University of Michigan, published in the academic journal "Science of Total Environment."

In menopause, levels of the hormone estrogen decrease. The study measured sex hormones in 1,365 women before, during, and after the menopause transition. Researchers identified two specific air pollutants, nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5, that make estrogen decline faster. Air pollution might lead to menopause happening at earlier ages as well.

The study highlights the need to further explore the relationship between pollution and menopause. Decreased estrogen, a feature of menopause, has links to cardiovascular disease, bone health problems, and Alzheimer’s disease. By causing a faster decline in estrogen, air pollution might increase the risks of developing those health conditions too. By the same token, managing exposure to air pollution may help us to manage menopause symptoms.

Menopause is an important predictor of future chronic disease... The management of menopause is really important to the woman’s health later in life. If air pollution plays a role, we need to take care of that.

SOURCE: Inside Climate News • AUTHOR: Gina Jiménez • LAST UPDATED: May 1, 2024