Menopause typically marks a time of dramatic hormonal and often social change for women.
While memes and jokes about hot flushes, forgetfulness, irritability, and weight gain continue to be rife, women are taking charge and discussing the life-changing impacts menopause can have on their physical and mental wellbeing.
By using the age of 50 as a proxy, an estimated 25 million women pass through menopause annually, and statistics show that by 2030, the world population of menopausal and postmenopausal women will increase to 1.2 billion – with 47 million new entrants each year.1
In the press, menopause has often suffered from a PR problem – either unreported, or its symptoms disparaged with the inference that menopause could change the lives of ordinary women for the worse, instead of being viewed as a natural part of aging.2
Changing the conversation about menopause
An article in Post Reproductive Health says that nine in ten women were never educated about menopause, and over 60% only started looking for information about it once their symptoms started, according to a UCL-led study.3
In addition, the impact of menopause on women has been critically underreported in the media with many turning to social media (33.1%) and friends (49,1%) for advice.4
Today, the conversation is not only going mainstream but it is focused on highlighting critical health issues that women can experience during menopause.
One of the biggest aspects is its effect on the gut microbiome and the lowering of gut microbiome diversity in post-menopausal women. We are also seeing additional research on the decrease in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) )-producing bacteria and its impact on menopausal gut health.
These factors could have a potential impact on healthcare-related issues such as high cholesterol, a risk marker in the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
The Hidden Impact of Menopause on Cholesterol
It is well known in medical circles that menopausal women are at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This is due to a significant fall in oestrogen, which typically has a protective effect on the heart by regulating lipoprotein metabolism, thereby controlling cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of fat building up in the arteries while keeping blood vessels healthy.5
During perimenopause, oestrogen levels fluctuate, but during menopause these levels fall significantly, allowing cholesterol levels to rise in the blood.
While cardiovascular disease is often thought to be a men’s health issue, it is one of the leading causes of death in post-menopausal women.6 In fact, the risk of heart attack is five times higher in post-menopausal women than in the pre-menopausal demographic.7
Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Disease: A Post-Menopausal Risk
It is estimated that up to 65% of women aged 65 years and over have raised cholesterol compared to 48% of men.8Menopause can also impact blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome.
Increases in ‘bad’ cholesterol can be a contributing factor to CVD, a leading cause of death in women after menopause. It is estimated that more women die from heart disease and stroke than from the next five causes of death combined, and this includes breast cancer.9
Additional risk factors for CVD include high blood pressure, smoking, obesity, and metabolic syndrome.10
According to US Cardiology Review14, menopause is associated with a progressive increase in total cholesterol, in particular, an increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), lipoprotein-α and triglycerides and a decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL).11,12,13
Therefore, menopausal women are exposed to a more atherogenic lipid profile than pre-menopausal women. Total cholesterol levels peak in women at 55–65 years of age – about 10 years later than the peak in men.
Agents that lower cholesterol levels reduce heart disease risk in both men and women, but it is thought that a larger proportion of women than men are at high risk and are not being effectively treated.
While making healthier lifestyle choices, including diet and exercise, could assist in minimising symptoms, there is real scope for the development of ingredients for use in finished products that target cholesterol, and CVD. Here, ProBiotix’s LPLDL® is a real game changer.
Shaping the future of menopausal health with LPLDL®
LPLDL® is a science-backed, IP-protected, highly innovative probiotic strain, and there is compelling evidence of its ability to act on internal cholesterol-producing enzymes that break down bile salts. This action forces the liver to remove cholesterol from the blood to replenish the body’s bile salt levels.
LPLDL® has been used in multiple studies to demonstrate its efficacy to support cardiometabolic health. Results have shown that the solution can reduce multiple cardiometabolic biomarkers, delivering a reduction in total cholesterol by 34%, LDL cholesterol by 28%, non-HDL cholesterol by 17% and ApoB by 28%. LPLDL® has also been shown to be safe with no observed side effects.
Growth in the global menopausal supplements market is upbeat. Valued at $934.8 million in 2024, it is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% to 2034 with an estimated value of $1,429.2 million as demand increases for alternative treatments to traditional and synthetic HRT protocols.14
At ProBiotix, we expect to see brands, and consumers shifting towards personalised interventions, using next-generation and scientifically validated products to alleviate menopausal symptoms.
Lead the way with innovation by discovering the link between the gut microbiome and cardiometabolic health. Find out more on LPLDL® and our finished formulations by contacting the ProBiotix team today.
References:
1, The demography of menopause – PubMed (nih.gov)
2, Menopause has a PR problem | Henley Business School
5, balance – Menopause and cholesterol: what you need to know
7, Hormone therapy for preventing cardiovascular disease in post-menopausal women – PubMed (nih.gov)
8, balance – Menopause and cholesterol: what you need to know
9, American Heart Association, Women and cardiovascular disease facts, American Heart Association, 2007
10, Menopause, Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Disease | USC Journal
11, Schnatz PF, Schnatz JD, Dyslipidemia in menopause: mechanisms and management, Obstet Gynecol Surv, 2006;61(9):608–13.
12, Williams CM, Lipid metabolism in women, Proc Nutr Soc, 2004;63(1):153–60.
13, Rosano GMC, et al., Menopause and cardiovascular disease: the evidence, Climacteric, 2007;10(1):19–24
14, 8, Menopause Supplement Market Share, Trends & Forecast by 2034 | FMI (futuremarketinsights.com)