Women with type 2 diabetes might face a tougher time with menopause, a new study says.
Across all menopause stages, women with type 2 diabetes reported worse symptoms compared to those without diabetes, researchers reported today in the journal Menopause.
“Women in the diabetic group reported a significantly greater number of menopausal symptoms and higher overall symptom severity than the nondiabetic group,” wrote the research team led by You Lee Lang with Eulji University in South Korea.
For the new study, researchers tracked nearly 300 women ages 40 to 64 living in South Korea. The women’s diabetes status was based on blood test results, and a menopause symptom questionnaire was used to measure their symptoms.
Of the women, 220 had either diabetes or were prediabetic, compared to 76 without diabetes, researchers found.
On average, women with diabetes had a higher average number of menopause symptoms, a little over 20 compared with fewer than 16 for women without diabetes, the study found.
The severity of their symptoms also was higher, nearly 37 points compared with 26 points among women without diabetes.
“This study demonstrates that women with diabetes may experience a greater burden of menopause symptoms,” Dr. Stephanie Faubion, medical director for The Menopause Society, said in a news release.
These links could play a particular role in hot flashes, which doctors call vasomotor symptoms, Faubion said.
“Prior research has also shown that cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia [an unhealthy balance of fats in the blood], are associated with more frequent vasomotor symptoms, and women with a higher vasomotor symptom burden tend to have a less favorable cardiometabolic risk profile,” added Faubion, who was not involved in the study.
Both the researchers and Faubion said the findings indicate that menopause management should be integrated into diabetes care for middle-aged women.
“These findings not only highlight the need to recognize and address menopause symptoms in women with diabetes but also underscore the menopause transition as an important opportunity to identify and manage cardiovascular risk factors in all women,” Faubion said.
According to research, Black women already experience important differences in transition into menopause, including more frequent, bothersome, and persistent vasomotor symptoms compared to white women. Type 2 diabetes can add another layer of symptoms and health concerns during this transition Black women face. Because of the health issues the chronic condition may cause, it’s critical for clinicians not to dismiss symptoms such as sleep problems, sexual dysfunction, fatigue, or genitourinary complaints as “normal menopause.”
When patients are undergoing a menopausal transition, it’s important for clinicians to complete an individualized assessment rather than assuming all midlife symptoms are simply hormonal.
When evaluating patients with type 2 diabetes, several symptoms can have multiple potential contributors, including:
Menopause assessments should happen alongside appropriate diabetes management rather than treating the two as completely separate issues. This is especially important since the study found significantly higher odds of sexual dysfunction, vaginal dryness, and sleep disturbances among women with type 2 diabetes.
Below are some questions to ask a patient during a menopause assessment to gauge if they need additional care to manage symptoms:
New research suggests that having type 2 diabetes can worsen menopause symptoms, particularly hot flashes. For clinicians, it’s critical to understand how existing chronic conditions can affect the menopausal transition, and how to navigate these conversations when patients may feel uncomfortable discussing any sexual problems. Menopausal assessments can be implemented in regular patient visits to keep tabs on what the patient is experiencing, and to refer them to specialty care if needed.
More information
Ohio State University has more on menopause and diabetes.
SOURCES: The Menopause Society, news release, Aug. 5, 2026; Menopause, Aug. 5, 2026
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