E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

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pal
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E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

Post by pal »

If you don't mind sharing, I'm curious if this study's findings are consistent with your personal experience. I don't have the full text so I'm not sure how large this study is.

"We tested the hypothesis that there is a connection between apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype and age at menopause. A sample of women aged between 50 and 60 years who had reached natural menopause was studied. Survival analysis of data showed a significant relationship between APOE genotype and age at menopause, carriers of the APOE4 allele reaching menopause at an earlier age. Our findings can have a bearing on the question of the evolution of this major human polymorphism and human life history. These findings are also relevant to the question of the connection between reproductive parameters and age-associated diseases."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15247087

But see:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21792545

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article ... ort=reader
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Stavia
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Re: E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

Post by Stavia »

Nope. 53 here and I'm e4/e4. My mum is at least e4 and she was 50's as well.
asiagillett
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Re: E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

Post by asiagillett »

Hmmm, this is something I have been watching myself due to family history. My mother was done with menopause by 45. She had a pretty tough time with it as well. My maternal grandmother had a hysterectomy pretty early so I have no idea what her age of onset would have been. Fathers side totally normal. I have no idea what my parents Apoe status is, they each have at least one 4, but based on family history I am assuming they both come from the paternal sides.

My mother ended up having a stress induced heart attack at 54, and I question if the early loss of estrogen protection left her a bit vulnerable?? She didn't do any type of HRT.

Asia
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Julie G
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Re: E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

Post by Julie G »

Yes, Asia- there IS evidence to suggest that post-menopausal E4 women ARE at increased risk of CAD.

http://atvb.ahajournals.org/content/14/7/1105.long

CONCLUSIONS: "The lower frequency of the e4 allele in older subjects, which is more evident in women than in men, could be related to the stronger impact of the E isoforms in postmenopausal women than in older men. Our results indicate that the sharp increase in LDL cholesterol levels occurring in women after menopause may be accentuated by the presence of the E4 isoform. In fact, menopause in women with the E3/2, E3/3, and E3/4 phenotype was associated with a 9%, 21%, and 26% increase, respectively, in LDL cholesterol levels.

COMMENTS:It is remarkable how similar E4 lipids are to other genotypes in this older observational study, UNTIL it comes to post-menopausal women. Then, we see a dramatic jump in both LDL and Apo-B. This could be the basis of a strong argument for E4 women to use HRT therapy if possible.
----------------
Early menopause for me, around 48 y/o. Interestingly, when I learned of my 4/4 status and began to eat a whole food diet with more dietary fat; menses returned for me :shock: Cholesterol is a precursor to hormones. I poked around a bit and learned that a Paleo type of diet is sometimes recommended for fertility:
http://thepaleodiet.com/fertility-incre ... onception/
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Re: E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

Post by asiagillett »

It's definitely on my radar. I have no signs of anything yet and at my age (39) she had already started having a few symptoms. Our lifestyles are polar opposites. She has been a life long smoker w/ minimal exercise. Her diet is also highly lacking to say the least and she is a huge stressor.

So I'm hoping all I am doing will at least buy me some time or make my experience more tolerable. I need to get through my first mammogram before I start thinking about menopause, yikes! :lol:

A
bentkat
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Re: E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

Post by bentkat »

I don't know how meaningful this is but I had my last period when I was 50. An erupt stop, no missing periods, except for when I was pregnant. Since I started menstruating at the age of ten and had a period every 21 days from then until 50, except the pregnancy. I welcomed menopause, after 40 years. :P
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KatieS
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Re: E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

Post by KatieS »

Although, I was 53 when menopause was confirmed with the high FSH, just to reassure me that I could not become pregnant. I had anovulatory cycles about six years before, so I was on progesterone to control the spotting, then HRT from ages 49-59. Mother, with the same allele, has the same history; both only bleeding, no hot flashes.
pal
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Re: E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

Post by pal »

Ladies, thanks so much for sharing. I very much appreciate it.
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Re: E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

Post by Sandraz »

Hi there. Yes, I hit menopause early. I had just turned 45 years old with my last period. My Mom was 50 with hers. I know she had one apoe4, don't know what other allele was.
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LillyBritches
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Re: E4s Have Earlier Menopause Onset?

Post by LillyBritches »

Wow...incredibly interesting. I'd absolutely no idea being e4 was correlated with earlier menopause. And, per usual, I'm the oddball: I didn't "go through" menopause until age 56. I mean, perimenopause hit around 52-53 for me, but those few seconds of actual menopause? Post-menopause cessation of menses?

Nope. It happened right after my 56th birthday in January of this year. And I'm 4/4. lol
I'm just a oily slick in a windup world with a nervous tick.
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