Laboratory researcher reviewing health data

Premature Menopause Linked to Higher Blood Pressure Risk

A study published in the journal Menopause on 29 July 2026 has found that women who go through menopause before age 40 face a higher risk of developing high blood pressure than women who reach menopause after 45. Researchers analysed data from 107,836 postmenopausal women enrolled in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2010, following them for a median of around 14.5 years. Among women with a typical age at menopause, after 45, 16.6% went on to develop hypertension. That rose to 18.8% among women with early menopause, between ages 40 and 45, and to 22.6% among women with premature menopause, before age 40. After adjusting for other health and lifestyle factors, premature menopause carried a 12.3% higher risk of developing hypertension than menopause after 45, with the highest risk seen in women who reached menopause between 25 and 35.

Surgical menopause showed a different pattern

The Menopause Society, which publishes the journal, said the raised hypertension risk applied to natural premature menopause but not to menopause caused by surgical removal of the ovaries; that association disappeared once other health and lifestyle factors were accounted for. Dr Stephanie Faubion, the society's medical director, said the results "highlight potential adverse long-term health outcomes associated with premature menopause, particularly the need for regular cardiovascular risk screening." Coverage in the Pharmaceutical Journal noted the study authors want clinicians to treat age at menopause as a distinct cardiovascular risk factor in its own right, rather than folding it into general age-related risk. The UK Biobank is an observational cohort, so the study shows an association rather than a proven cause, and the press release did not report a funding source for the analysis.

What this means for you

This is a finding about a risk factor, not a treatment recommendation, and it does not concern a specific supplement or product. The study's authors said the results underline the need for regular cardiovascular risk screening in women with a history of premature menopause, which fits with the blood pressure checks already offered as part of routine NHS health monitoring from age 40 and, in Northern Ireland, through the equivalent regional screening programme. This finding is unrelated to any particular product; anyone wanting to browse the wider catalogue while thinking through a GP conversation can do so in the health and wellness collection.

How Perqen members save

Perqen members pay £4.99 a month or £29.99 a year for member pricing across the full 1,393-product catalogue. Details of how membership pricing works are on the membership page.

This article reports published news and research and is for information only. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet or medical care, and no product mentioned is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before changing what you take, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking prescribed medicines.

Sources

Originally reported by The Menopause Society. This article has been reviewed by Dr Tosin.

Related on Perqen

Back to blog