Half of all women in their 30s are now reporting early symptoms of the menopause.
The menopause, often referred to as the climacteric, is when women cease menstruating and become infertile. In the US, the average age of menopause is around 50 years old.
A new survey, commissioned by researchers from Flo Health and the University of Virginia, looked at around 4,500 women, and found that half of all women in the 30-35 age bracket reported experiencing symptoms of early menopause or “perimenopause,” to give the condition its technical name. Over 55% of 30-35 year olds reported “moderate to severe” symptoms, increasing to 64.3% in women between the ages of 36 and 40.
“Physical and emotional symptoms associated with perimenopause are understudied and often dismissed by physicians. This research is important in order to more fully understand how common these symptoms are, their impact on women, and to raise awareness amongst physicians as well as the general public,” says study co-author Dr. Jennifer Payne.
The strength of perimenopause symptoms can vary, but the main change is extended durations without periods. In “early” perimenopause, women occasionally miss their period or cycle irregularly, whereas in “late” perimenopause, they may go for much longer—from between 60 days to a full year or more—without a period.
Other symptoms associated with perimenopause include: hot flashes; vaginal dryness; pain during sexual intercourse; recent cycle length irregularity; heart palpitations; frequent urination.
Although the survey does not discuss the causes of its findings, other studies have linked early menopause to exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, a pervasive class of chemicals that are found in everything from personal-care products to food packaging.
A study from 2012 showed a clear link between levels of exposure to endocrine disruptors and age of menopause onset.
“The researchers looked at the levels of numerous EDCs [endocrine-disrupting chemicals] in the blood or urine of 5,700 women through a secondary analysis of the US National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Those with the highest amounts of phthalates and PCBs [two very common types of endocrine-disrupting chemical] went through menopause an average of 2.5 years before the others.”
There have been a wide range of studies showing associations between particular chemicals, like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and early menopause, as well as studies that demonstrate the mechanisms by which such chemicals are likely to disturb the menstrual cycle.
For example, one study showed a clear link between levels of PFOA (a PFAS chemical) and cycle length. Women with the highest levels of PFOA exposure had significantly higher odds for longer cycles than women with the lowest levels.
Studies have also shown that endocrine-disruptors can disrupt the function of ovarian follicles, which are involved in the production of the hormones that govern menstruation.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has stated on a number of occasions that increasing exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals is one of the principal causes of America’s chronic-disease crisis, which he has vowed to bring to an end with his “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.