Women who experience frequent hot flashes and night sweats during the transition to menopause are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, a new study finds.
The lead investigator says, “There’s a growing body of evidence that women who have these severe symptoms seem to have something else going on as well in terms of health risks.”
Researchers analyzed data from about 27-hundred women who were followed for 17 years and found those with persistent hot flashes and night sweats had 50% higher odds of developing type 2 diabetes.
The researchers say it’s not clear yet how these vasomotor symptoms increase diabetes risk, but say it may be similar to how they impact heart disease risk – through inflammation, poor sleep quality and increased weight.
Next, the team plans on looking at links between menopause symptoms and other health issues, such as cognition.
Source: JAMA Network Open
Author Affiliations: Kaiser Permanente
