PCOS and menopause both involve hormone changes, but how do they interact? Here’s what you need to know — and how to manage the transition.
If you have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and are nearing menopause, you may have a ton of (very normal!) questions about the transition. What will happen with your PCOS when you move from perimenopause to menopause? Can menopause cure PCOS? What will happen with your PCOS or menopause symptoms?
>>MORE: Perimenopause vs. Menopause: What’s the Difference? Both PCOS and menopause relate to your hormones, which means there’s a lot going on in your body when they both happen at the same time. Here’s what you need to know about what happens during the transition and how to manage.
What’s the link between PCOS and menopause? PCOS is a common hormonal disorder in women of reproductive age. It affects one in ten women, but up to 70% of affected women go undiagnosed. Similarly to menopause, PCOS occurs due to hormone imbalances . The ovaries produce too much testosterone that interferes with ovulation. PCOS can appear as irregular periods , affect fertility, and increase your risk of other health conditions like cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Menopause is the point in time 12 months after your last period. Menopause comes after perimenopause, which is transitional time leading up to your last period. During perimenopause, your ovaries start producing less estrogen and progesterone, leading to irregular periods and other physical, mental, and emotional perimenopause symptoms .
Both PCOS and menopause involve changing hormones that can lead to various symptoms. While there are overlaps in symptoms of menopause and PCOS, menopause does not cure PCOS, and PCOS doesn’t disappear after menopause. You may still have symptoms of PCOS before and after menopause.
What happens to PCOS during menopause? During perimenopause and menopause , your hormones are in flux. Your levels of estrogen and progesterone , the two sex hormones crucial to reproductive and sexual health, decline. For women with PCOS entering menopause, estrogen and progesterone levels fall and fluctuate, while androgen (male sex hormones like testosterone) levels remain stable or increase.
All genders produce androgen, which supports a person’s reproductive and overall health. However, the imbalance of androgens in women with PCOS makes the body prone to insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Even more, insulin resistance causes high blood sugar, which produces more androgen and can make symptoms of PCOS worse.
This means that people with PCOS who are going through menopause may experience symptoms from both their hormone condition and the transitional period of menopause.
Does PCOS make menopause worse? No, PCOS does not make menopause worse. While women with PCOS can still experience menopause symptoms and symptoms of PCOS during menopause, there is no research to suggest that menopausal symptoms like hot flashes become more extreme for women with PCOS.
Both women with PCOS and women without it experience declines in androgen levels as they age, yet women with PCOS remain hyperandrogenic long after their reproductive years.
So while women with PCOS can still experience menopausal symptoms regularly, their higher androgen levels can cause other symptoms, like changes in body appearance, including excessive facial and body hair, hair loss, balding, darkened skin and acne. Aging also increases the risk of PCOS-related health issues like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Women with PCOS will experience hormonal imbalance and health risks years before menopause begins and after menopause ends.
What is the average age of menopause for PCOS? Women with PCOS, on average, reach menopause four years later than women without it. They also find that their menstrual cycles may become more regular as they approach menopause.
Managing PCOS and menopause Menopause symptoms are hard enough alone to manage, so for women with PCOS with long-lasting symptoms, it can seem exhausting.
However, there are some ways to manage PCOS and menopause:
Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Insulin resistance can make it difficult to stay fit. However, managing a healthy weight can help regulate your menstrual cycle and prevent high blood pressure and cholesterol (another symptom of insulin resistance). Exercise regularly and maintain a balanced diet. Get quality sleep: Symptoms of menopause and PCOS include trouble with sleeping and sometimes can cause sleep apnea. It’s crucial to get consistent and quality sleep to stay healthy. If you have trouble sleeping, it can be helpful to maintain a routine bedtime, not use electronics before bed, and avoid caffeine later in the day. Check in with your doctor: Regular appointments with your healthcare provider can help you monitor your condition and discuss medical treatment options, such as prescription medication to manage symptoms, hormone levels, or insulin resistance, or hormone replacement therapy to alleviate symptoms. Address symptoms with over-the-counter products: To address symptoms after they’ve started, you can use at-home remedies and everyday household items. For example, for hot flashes, you can dress in layers or keep a cool sleep environment. For vaginal dryness , you can use water-based lubricants or over-the-counter moisturizers.>>MORE: 6 Natural Remedies for Hot Flashes
PCOS and menopause: the bottom line Menopause does not cure PCOS, but it does not worsen its symptoms. People with PCOS have to live with symptoms (some that overlap with menopause and others as a result of increased testosterone) long before and after menopause. As a result, they are at a higher risk of metabolic disorders like cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. There are ways to manage both PCOS and menopause, but it’s important to consult your doctor if symptoms become severe to find the best medications or treatments for you.
