Menopause and Diabetes Mellitus

  • Emily D. Szmuilowicz
  • Ellen W. Seely
Chapter
First Online:
Part of the Contemporary Diabetes book series (CDI)

Abstract

Around the time of menopause, there are important changes in body composition and insulin sensitivity, which may impact both the risk for diabetes mellitus as well as glycemic control in individuals with established diabetes. Furthermore, these parameters may be affected by the use of hormone replacement therapy, a common treatment for menopausal vasomotor symptoms. Changes in body composition, beyond changes in weight, occur around the time of menopause, and these alterations in body composition have been correlated with changes in insulin resistance and glucose tolerance. Several studies have suggested that hormone therapy use reduces diabetes risk in postmenopausal women. Clinicians must keep these metabolic changes in mind when caring for postmenopausal women with and without diabetes.

Key words

Diabetes Menopause Insulin sensitivity Body composition Hormone therapy 
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Copyright information

© Humana Press, a part of Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  • Emily D. Szmuilowicz
  • Ellen W. Seely
    • 1
  1. 1.Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and HypertensionBrigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUSA

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