Menopause

The menopause is a way of life for all women and while some experience the symptoms of menopause early in their 40s, others find they are in their mid 50s before they notice any changes. Women who go through menopause early have less time available to them to start a family and so every woman begs to know if it is possible to delay the menopause until they are ready to go through it.

The simple answer to this is unfortunately no. This doesn't mean to say that you can't do anything to prolong your fertile years though and studies have shown that looking after your body as a young adult can guarantee your maximum number of fertile years. For example:

• Women who have never smoked reach menopause on average 1-3 years later than those who do smoke.
• Excessive alcohol and caffeine consumption are thought to induce early menopause, possible by 2-3 years.
• Taking illegal drugs or being addicted to certain prescription drugs can also affect the timing of the menopause i.e. it brings on premature menopause.
• Keeping the body fit and healthy may help to ensure that illnesses such as cancer don't arise, the treatments for which can often instigate early menopause.
• If you know your mother had an early menopause then it may be worth speaking to your doctor so that HRT can be prescribed at the first signs of your menopause.

There are a number of sites on the internet that profess to sell revolutionary products that can delay the menopause by 30+ years however once your ovaries run out of viable eggs then the menopause will begin regardless. These products may be able to mask the symptoms so that you don't realise you have reached menopause or alternatively they may be a herbal supplement that introduces natural oestrogen into the body however any company that says they can do something that highly qualified researchers in the top facilities have yet to do should be regarded with some scepticism.

There is hope on the horizon however because a group of researchers at Harvard have found a small reservoir of cells in mice that are capable of replenishing the ovaries when the mice are sterilised. It may be that this reservoir of cells isn't present in humans and only further research will be able to confirm this however the head of the research group is optimistic. If it is found that there are cells within the body that can stimulate the production of new cells within the ovaries then many fertility problems could be solved. It would also be a way to delay menopause because the reservoir cells could be harvested in early adulthood and returned to the body at the first signs of menopause so that new eggs are produced and the ovaries don't shut down.

Unfortunately this possibility is still a long way off and so women will have to rely on the present treatments for a while longer. By nurturing the ovaries i.e. by not poisoning them with cigarette smoke and other drugs, you can ensure that they will continue to function for as long as they can before nature takes its course and you begin menopause. Hopefully the next generation will be able to delay their menopause until they decide they want it but for now you need to accept it when it comes.

Life After Menopause |