Chemical Exposure Linked to Earlier Menopause
Extensive exposure to common chemicals appears to be linked to an earlier
start of
menopause. Menopause occurs when a woman stops ovulating and her monthly
period (menstruation) ceases. Most women reach menopause between the ages of 45
and 55, with the average age around 51. However, about one per cent of women
experience menopause before the age of 40 years.
Recent researches have indicated that, presently menopause typically begins
two to four years earlier in women whose bodies have high levels of
certain
chemicals found in household items, personal care products, plastics and the
environment, compared to women with lower levels of the chemicals. Earlier
menopause can impact on a woman's quality of life (hot flashes, mood and
memory
changes) and quantity of life (osteoporosis,
fractures,
heart disease).
The investigators found 15 chemicals that were significantly associated
with earlier menopause and declines in ovarian function. They included nine
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), three pesticides, two phthalates � which are
typically found in plastics, common household items, pharmaceuticals, lotions,
perfumes, makeup, nail polish, liquid soap and hair spray � and a toxic chemical
known as a furan "that warrant closer evaluation." These pollutants have been
often referred to as endocrine-disrupting chemicals as they interfere with the
normal hormonal processes in the body.
Many of these chemical exposures are beyond our control because they are in
the soil, water and air.
Other Factors that Determine Menopause Age
-
 Mother's Menopausal Age: Menopause is strongly genetically
linked, so you�re very likely to fall within a few years either way of the
age your mother was at menopause.
-
Smoking: No other lifestyle factor does more damage to your
ovaries than
smoking. So if you smoke and your mother didn�t, you�ll probably reach
menopause earlier than she did.
-
Excessive Alcohol and Caffeine consumption: may escalate the
early menopause, possible by 2-3 years. It is recommended to decrease coffee
consumption to 1 cup a day, and alcohol consumption to up to several shots a
week.
-
Chemotherapy: Most forms of chemotherapy used in younger women
are at least mildly toxic to the ovaries. Many women go through temporary
menopause while undergoing chemotherapy; if cycles do return (they don�t
always), you can still expect to reach regular menopause a couple of years
earlier than you otherwise would have.
-
Ovarian surgery: The more you operate on the ovaries, the more
healthy tissue gets damaged. If you�ve had diagnostic surgery for
endometriosis, use medical options (such as hormonal suppression) to
treat the condition in order to avoid repetitive surgeries.
-
Ethnicity: Certain ethnic groups may have menopause at slightly
different ages. Hispanic and African-American women reach
menopause a little earlier, and Chinese and Japanese women a little
later, than the average Caucasian woman, who reaches menopause at about age
51.5.
Remember that, these chemicals not only pose a potential threat to human
health, but to the health of all living creatures.
Ref:
http://journals.plos.org/
Dated 08 April 2015
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