Later Menopause Linked to⁤ Healthier Blood Vessels, Study Finds

⁤ Updated June 11, 2025

New research from the University of colorado ⁢Boulder indicates that women who experience ​menopause later in life tend to have healthier blood vessels for years afterward. The study, published in Circulation Research, ⁣sheds light on why women who stop menstruating at 55 or older have a considerably reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes following menopause.

The findings,⁤ released​ during Women’s Heart Health Month, could pave the way for new treatments, including‍ dietary changes, aimed at lowering the risk of heart disease, the leading cause of death for women.Sanna Darvish,a PhD candidate in the ⁣Department of ‍Integrative Physiology⁣ and lead author of‍ the study,noted that the research identifies a physiological benefit to later-onset menopause and pinpoints the specific mechanisms behind these advantages.

Heart disease affects nearly half of all women in the U.S., accounting for approximately one in five female deaths annually. While women are generally‍ less likely than men to die from heart attacks or strokes for most of their lives, their risk escalates after ‍menopause,⁢ eventually surpassing that of men. Though, women who reach menopause at 55 or later are about 20% less likely to develop heart disease compared to those who experience it between 45 and 54.

To understand this ⁢phenomenon, Darvish and her team assessed the vascular health of 92 women,⁢ focusing on brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), wich measures how well the brachial artery dilates with increased blood flow. They also examined the health of mitochondria, ‍the energy-producing⁤ components within blood ⁣vessel‌ cells, and analyzed the molecules circulating ​in the women’s bloodstreams.

The study revealed that postmenopausal women generally had poorer arterial function than premenopausal women. This decline is partly due to reduced nitric oxide production, a compound that aids ‍blood vessel dilation and prevents stiffness and plaque buildup. Additionally, mitochondrial dysfunction and increased production of damaging free radicals contribute to this age-related decline, according to Darvish.

Matthew Rossman, senior author⁤ of the ‌study, explained that the decline in vascular health accelerates with menopause. However, the 10% of women ⁣who experience late-onset menopause appear to be somewhat shielded from this effect. Vascular function was only 24% worse in the late-onset menopause group compared to ⁣the premenopausal group, ⁣while the normal-onset group experienced a 51% decline.

Notably, these ​differences persisted for at least five years after menopause,⁣ with the late-onset group⁣ maintaining 44% better vascular function than ⁤the⁤ normal-onset group. ⁢This preserved vascular health was ​linked to better mitochondrial function and fewer free radicals. ⁤The blood​ composition also‍ differed, with the late-onset⁤ group ‌exhibiting ​more favorable levels of 15 lipid⁢ or fat-related ⁢metabolites.

Rossman stated, “Our data‍ suggest that women who complete menopause at a later ⁢age have a kind of⁤ natural inherent protection from vascular dysfunction that can come from oxidative stress over time.” Further research‍ is needed to pinpoint the exact mechanisms behind this protection, but the researchers believe mitochondrial function and specific circulating lipids might potentially be involved.

Darvish‌ said, “We hope this‌ work​ puts ‍age at menopause ⁤on the⁢ map as a female-specific risk ⁤factor that women ‌and their doctors discuss more.”

What’s next

The team plans to investigate how early-onset menopause affects heart ⁤health and whether nutritional supplements⁤ that neutralize‍ free radicals in blood vessels can‍ reduce heart disease⁣ risk‍ in women at higher risk. Rossman previously found that MitoQ, a modified antioxidant, significantly reversed blood vessel aging in both men and women​ in a prior study.A larger clinical trial is currently underway.