A diet containing fish and legumes helps prevent the onset of menopause at an early age. On the other hand, eating carbohydrates like rice and pasta may speed up the process. This is what has recently been concluded by a team of researchers.
The study was conducted in England, Wales and Scotland, and it is the first of its kind. The research showed that the average age at which Oily Fish menopause sets in is 51 years. Some foods are related to its timing.
Researchers found that consuming oily fish and legumes like beans and peas helps delay menopause for roughly about three years. Consuming vitamins such as B6 and minerals like zinc are also associated with delaying menopause.
If you are fond of carbs like rice and pasta, and you can’t let go of this, then you may have to face menopause 15 years earlier. To understand the relation between diet and menopause, the researchers recruited some female participants in the age range of 35-69 years.
The information provided by the women included weight history, use of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and reproductive history.
The researchers made the women fill out a food questionnaire survey. The food items were divided in two group according to how they are used. Information on when the woman hit menopause was collected after four years.
Around 14,000 women gave information at both the times. The final analysis included 914 women, who experienced menopause after 40 years of age and before 65.
Researchers said that with each additional portion of fresh legumes and oily fish consumed a day, there was a delay in the onset of menopause by 3.3 years. This means a woman, who consumes two portions of fish a day will get menopause three years later than the ones, who consume only one portion a day.
On the other hand, consuming an extra portion of carbs like rice and pasta leads to menopause one and a half years earlier after taking influential factors like weight into account.
Oily fish is laden with omega-3 fatty acids. It activates the antioxidant capacity and legumes are also high in antioxidants. Antioxidants help preserve menstruation as they affect the release of eggs.
Refined carbs increase the chances of resistance to insulin. It can hinder the activity of sex hormones and improve estrogen levels. These changes increase the number of menstrual cycles and also, the egg supply depletes faster.
However, the study results are only observational and more studies are needed to see if food does have an effect on the women’s menstrual cycle or not. There are many factors involved. The metabolism of body is important in regulation of ovulation and having periods.
The age at which menopause starts can have serious health issues. Women experiencing menopause early have greater chances of having osteoporosis and heart issues. And, the women who get it late are at an increased risk of womb, breast and ovarian cancer.
