Diet with significant influence on the time of menopause

How does the diet affect the menopause??

The so-called menopause involves the gradual absence of menstruation in older women. However, this menopause can be a very difficult time for many sufferers. For some women, the menopause has even serious consequences for the health. These women could now benefit from the results of a recent study. The researchers found that diet affects the timing of menopause.

The researchers from the University of Leeds found in their recent research that women's diet can affect menopause timing. The physicians published the results of their recent study in the English-language journal "Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health".

Menopause can cause some health effects in women, such as hot flushes and hair loss. (Picture: Picture-Factory / fotolia.com)

Which foods affect menopause?

For their study, the experts analyzed data from more than 14,150 women in the US. They found that certain foods can delay the onset of menopause. The research team combined the consumption of oily fish with a three-year delay in menopause. Pulses, including peas and green beans, were also associated with a menopausal delay. On the other hand, a diet high in carbohydrates (such as refined pasta and rice) caused menopause to start about one and a half years earlier than the average.

Subjects had to participate in various surveys

For the study, researchers used an average age of 51 years for the onset of menopausal women as a benchmark. In the US, the National Institute on Aging states that menopause usually begins between the ages of 45 and 55 and lasts about seven years. At the beginning of the study, participants took part in a survey on reproductive history, health and nutrition. Four years later, a follow-up survey was conducted. In more than 900 women between the ages of 40 and 65, natural menopause had begun during this period.

Some women will benefit from the results

The findings of the current study may affect women at risk for a particularly difficult menopause, said Professor Janet Cade of the University of Leeds. A clear understanding of how diet affects the onset of natural menopause will be very beneficial for those women who are at an increased risk of premature menopause or a family history of certain complications related to menopause, the expert adds.

What are the causes of plant proteins in food??

This research is contributing to an increasing body of evidence suggesting that food can affect the time of menopause. For example, a US study from 2017 linked foods that were rich in plant proteins - including whole grains, soy, and tofu - with lower risk of early menopause.

Influence of nutrition has been studied especially closely

There are a number of causes that have been considered for the relationship between age and onset of menopause, such as genetic factors or behavioral and environmental burdens. Unfortunately, there are only a few studies that look at the influence of nutrition, says study author Yashvee Dunneram from the University of Leeds. The research team also considered factors such as weight and the use of hormone replacement therapies in the study, but no genetic factors were considered. (As)