Girls who start their periods before turning 13 are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and suffer strokes as adults, study claims

Health
By Liam
  • American researchers studied data from more than 17,300 women between 1999 and 2018
  • But there was no increased risk of earlier menstruation and cardiovascular disease

By Kate Pickles Health Editor for The Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Girls who get their periods at a younger age are at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and stroke as adults, a study suggests.

The increased risk begins in people younger than 13 years of age at menarche, and increases the younger they are.

Experts think this may be due to higher levels of estrogen, which they are exposed to for longer periods of time.

Researchers studied data from more than 17,300 women, ages 20 to 65, between 1999 and 2018.

They were categorized by the age they started menstruating as 10 years or younger, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 years or older – and they were followed to see if they developed type 2 diabetes.

The increased risk begins in people younger than 13 years of age at menarche, and increases the younger they are. Experts think this may be due to higher levels of estrogen, which they are exposed to for longer periods of time

What is Precocious Puberty in Girls?

Early puberty, also called precocious puberty, is when girls show signs of puberty before the age of eight.

They may develop some signs of puberty at a young age, but not others.

For example, their periods may start, but they have no breast development.

Doctors usually don't know what causes early puberty.

But it could be genetic or a problem with the brain, ovaries or thyroid.

A GP may recommend seeing a specialist if he believes the cause needs to be investigated.

In some cases, doctors prescribe medications to lower hormone levels and interrupt sexual development for a few years.

Led by academics from Tulane University in Louisiana, approximately 1,773 (10 percent) developed type 2 diabetes and among this group of women, 205 also reported some form of cardiovascular disease.

Statistical analysis revealed that, compared with women who started menstruating at age 13, an earlier age at menarche was associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Those who started their periods at age 10 or younger were found to have a 32 percent increased risk, a 14 percent increased risk at age 11, and a 29 percent increased risk at age 12.

They also found that in women with diabetes, an earlier age at first menstruation was associated with an increased risk of stroke, but not with overall cardiovascular disease.

For women who were 10 years or younger when they got their first period, the risk of stroke was almost three times higher in women with diabetes.

Likewise, this risk decreased the later the person started their period, according to the findings published in the BMJ.

The authors concluded: 'Older age at menarche may be one of the early life indicators of cardiometabolic disease trajectory in women.

'One possible explanation could be that women with an earlier age at menarche are exposed to estrogen for longer periods of time, and early menarche has been associated with higher estrogen levels.'

They point out that although the association between age at first menstruation and stroke complications weakened somewhat after weight was taken into account, the association still remained statistically significant.

They added: 'Therefore, adiposity (obesity) may also play a role in the observed association between early menarche and stroke complications, as higher fat content in children is associated with younger menarche and with cardiometabolic diseases later in life.'

WHAT IS TYPE 2 DIABETES?

Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which a person's blood sugar levels become too high.

More than 4 million people in Britain are believed to have some form of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is associated with being overweight and you are more likely to develop it if it runs in the family.

The condition means that the body does not respond properly to insulin – the hormone that regulates the absorption of sugar into the blood – and cannot properly regulate sugar-glucose levels in the blood.

Excess fat in the liver increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes because the buildup makes it harder to control glucose levels and also makes the body more resistant to insulin.

Weight loss is the key to reducing liver fat and controlling symptoms.

Symptoms include fatigue, thirst and frequent urination.

It can lead to more serious problems with the nerves, vision and heart.

Treatment usually involves changing your diet and lifestyle, but more severe cases may require medication.

Source: NHS Choices; Diabetes.nl

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