• Posted August 5, 2026

Type 2 Diabetes Might Make Menopause Worse

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.

More information

Ohio State University has more on menopause and diabetes.

SOURCES: The Menopause Society, news release, Aug. 5, 2026; Menopause, Aug. 5, 2026