Menopause brings big changes to a woman's body, however, many do not know how these changes affect their health. A Jan study published in the Circulation Research showed that when a woman goes through menopause could tell us a lot about her future heart health. A study published recently found that women who stopped having periods later in life generally had healthier blood vessels. They were also much less likely to suffer heart attacks and strokes after menopause, compared to those who went through it earlier. Menopause And Heart Health The researchers also noted that these women who had later menopause had better fat levels in their blood and fewer signs of "oxidative stress". This might help explain why their hearts seemed healthier. Most women enter menopause between ages 45 and 55, with the average in the U.S. being 52. However, about 10% of women experience "late-onset" menopause, meaning it starts after age 55. Late Menopause and Your Heart Disease Risk For this study, researchers looked at 21 women who were still having periods and 71 women who had already gone through menopause. The postmenopausal group was then split based on whether their menopause started at a normal age or later. To check their heart and blood vessel health, the researchers measured how well a main artery in the arm could widen. They also looked at the health of the mitochondria inside blood vessel cells, and checked levels of hormones, fats, and other substances in the blood. As expected, all women who had gone through menopause had less healthy blood vessels compared to those still having periods. This is normal as estrogen levels drop and blood vessels tend to stiffen with age. Also, as we get older, these "power plants" in our cells can produce more harmful molecules called free radicals, leading to something called oxidative stress, which can cause diseases like heart disease. However, the surprising finding was that women in the late-onset menopause group seemed to be somewhat protected from this age-related decline in blood vessel health.Their blood vessel function was only 24% worse than the premenopausal group, while for those with normal-onset menopause, it was 51% worse. This better blood vessel function lasted for at least five years after menopause for the late-onset group. Women in the late-onset group also had better functioning "power plants" (meaning fewer harmful free radicals and less oxidative stress) and healthier fat levels in their blood. Why Menopause Impacts Heart Health Even though women with later menopause had relatively better heart health in the study, it's important to remember that all women face a higher risk of heart disease once they go through menopause. Studies show that this is largely due to estrogen. According to the Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity journal, estrogen is known to protect against heart disease. Once a woman's estrogen levels drop during menopause, she starts to lose that protective effect. As a result, many women will see their blood pressure and cholesterol levels go up, even if their diet and activity levels don't change. So, it makes sense that women who go through menopause later have better heart health. The longer your body produces estrogen, the more protection your heart gets. Blood vessels work better before menopause, meaning they are more resistant to damage and heart attacks the longer you stay out of menopause.Protecting Your Heart During and After Menopause While you usually can't control when you start menopause, you can still take steps to protect and maintain your heart health during and after this transition. This includes following the usual advice for a healthy lifestyle: Starting a healthy diet with more fruits and vegetables, and less meat and cheese.Monitor your cholesterol levels.Staying active is crucial, aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week, including both cardio and strength trainingGetting enough sleep is also vital for heart health; however, this can be tough during menopause due to issues like insomnia and night sweats.