Unlocking Longevity: Does Delaying Menopause Hold the Key?
Science finds a link between delaying menopause and Longevity (lifespan) and healthspan.
- Delaying menopause may reduce the risk of serious age-related diseases.
- The White House women’s health initiative is focusing on prolonging ovarian function.
- Studies find a link between early ovary failure and increased health risks.
- Researchers are testing substances to extend ovarian function and delay menopause.
Delaying Menopause: The Secret to Women’s Health?
We all want to live as long as possible while retaining good health. The problem is this: the older one gets, the higher the risk of age-related diseases. For women, there is a potential increased risk of certain health problems post-menopause.
So, could delaying menopause reduce these risks? First Lady Jill Biden seems to think it’s worth looking into. She’s even unveiled a new $100 million project to make it happen. A government agency focused on health research (ARPA-H) is leading the way.
The ovaries are the only organ in humans that we just accept will fail one day.
Dr. Renee Wegrzyn, a leading scientist who directs ARPA-H
The study aims to test the relationship between menopause and longevity. The goal is to prolong the menstrual regulating mechanisms to keep the ovaries working longer. But how could extending ovarian function “potentially” enhance health and lengthen life expectancy? That’s the question this article seeks to answer.
Your Ovaries Role in Aging Processes
Your ovaries play a vital role in a woman’s health. They act as a kind of control center that communicates with other organs through hormones. Think estrogen, progesterone, and other essential chemicals. Menopause puts an end to your ovarian function, which can increase certain health risks. Some of those concerns include the onset of dementia, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. Could delaying menopause be the key to staying healthy for longer? Scientists think that keeping ovaries working could be a game-changer.
Most experts acknowledge the link between healthy ovaries, longevity, and healthspan. The problem is that science hasn’t figured out why that is. Maybe the ovaries themselves are keeping women healthy, or perhaps it’s something else.
Is the ovary just a marker of overall health? Or…. is it that the ovary is timing out and causing poor health?” I mean, It’s chicken-egg.
Dr. Stephanie Faubion
Menopause and Your Health: What to Know
No woman should fear the menopause, but it is useful to know what to expect. A little knowledge helps lessen, avoid, or prevent possible negative outcomes. Many of you will already know that when ovaries stop functioning at menopause, age-related health risks increase. Increased risks are the result of a sudden drop in hormone levels, which disrupts your body’s equilibrium or balance. Dr. Stephanie Faubion (medical director of the Menopause Society) emphasizes the importance of ovarian health.
How Delaying Menopause Might Extend Lifespan
As you age, your ovaries gradually become less efficient at producing eggs. But how does extending ovarian function improve health and lead to longer life? To answer that, we need to look at an earlier 2003 animal study. In this experiment, scientists gave older female mice ovary transplants from younger rodents. The results were surprising. The transplant subjects lived significantly longer than the group without transplants.
This test suggested that ovarian function plays a direct role in how mammals age. It’s most likely the one that led to more interest in mammalian longevity research.
Two methods are currently being tested by scientists to help delay menopause in humans.
| Method | Description | Current Trials |
|---|---|---|
| AMH | Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is a chemical in your ovaries. It helps control how many eggs mature each cycle, reducing the number of lost eggs. | Early stages, mostly animal studies (mice and cats). |
| Rapamycin | Rapa is a medicine used to fight off an overactive immune system. Newer research shows its potential to keep ovaries working longer. | Trial at Columbia University for women 35-45 to see how Rapa affects ovarian reserves. |
Let’s expand a little on the anticipated role of rapamycin. This natural soil compound could delay menopause and reduce disease risks by extending ovary function.
Rapamycin’s Potential for Delaying Menopause
Researchers are still looking into rapamycin’s (Rapa) ability to prevent cell aging. It is already a successful treatment for preventing organ transplant rejection. So, how might Rapa help delay the onset of menopause? Tests in rapamycin-treated mice appear to prolong their ability to produce eggs. In theory, this outcome may apply to people. How could this work? Menopause marks the end of those reproductive years as ovaries stop producing eggs. If Rapa delays the onset of menopause, women could see their fertile window extended.
Future Research and Implications
Living longer by reducing age-related disease risks would be pioneering. Our bodies are complex systems, and this research is still in fairly early stages, but it’s ongoing. Still, the possible impact of extending ovarian function is huge for women of middle age and older. So, delaying menopause would be a major step toward bettering female health. Another possible outcome of these studies might be new insights into all aging processes. In other words, what keeps ovaries healthy may also be key to aging well in general. That could lead to the development of new treatments that support healthy aging and extend human lifespan.
Closing Comments
Most would agree that delaying menopause is a challenge worth pursuing. This kind of research may lead to bettering women’s health and longevity by reducing age-related diseases. Hopefully, extending ovarian function using treatments like rapamycin will soon become a reality. The goal is simple: healthy ovaries, longer life, and less risk of age-related illness. And it’s great that there’s a White House initiative championing these trials.
