It’s been a drumbeat in the headlines lately: Menopause. Is it a moment or a movement? I’m not sure yet, but I do know that as a woman at 42, the research and options for most symptoms are abysmal. It impacts our quality of life, though longevity is all the craze. As I planned for another spin on the topic, our last menopause episode being the most popular in the past year of the launch of MomShine, I thought to myself: What are we missing in this natural process of life that hasn’t already been talked about?
As a woman in my 40s who has finally figured out how to abide by most well-being rules to feel your best (i.e., increasing activity levels, lowering stress, building muscle, minimizing toxins), was I still on a path to not feeling healthy? Could the key to longevity and a higher quality of life be in tandem and reside in an often-overlooked body part—our ovaries? New research suggests that the health of our ovaries not only governs our reproductive abilities but could also play a crucial role in how well we age. Imagine that. I hadn’t given my ovaries that much thought besides cursing them monthly and thanking them for my three beautiful angels.
But science is revealing that these organs are more than just the bearers of future generations. Emerging studies, such as one highlighted by the National Library of Medicine, show that reproductive factors, notably fertility and fecundity (*the ability to produce an abundance of offspring), are significantly associated with increased female lifespan. The concept is simple yet powerful: by understanding how our ovaries function and change as we age, we might be able to enhance our quality of life and longevity.
A Rare Mammalian Phenomenon: Menopause and Its Impact
Human females are part of a very exclusive group in the animal kingdom—one of the few species that experience menopause. Whales, especially the Bowhead whale, share this trait. These majestic mammals live upwards of 250 years, and research is pointing to their ovarian health as a significant factor in their extraordinary lifespan—maturing sexually at around 10 to 15 years of age and remaining reproductively active past 100 years of age.
What makes the Bowhead whale’s reproductive system so unique? It appears that they’ve evolved their ovaries to remain functional for a much longer portion of their lives compared to humans. In contrast, women lose most of their ovarian function by age 51, with the onset of menopause on average.
Could there be lessons in this for us? Dr. Deena Emera, an evolutionary geneticist, is leading groundbreaking research into how studying the ovaries of whales might offer insights into delaying menopause or maintaining ovarian function for longer quality of life in humans. Her work focuses on the Bowhead whale, which has found ways to sustain its ovaries. This finding has opened up a world of possibilities for advancing women’s health.
Extending Menopause: A New Horizon in Women’s Health
As scientists like Dr. Emera dive deeper into ovarian research, there is a growing movement in science to explore how delaying menopause might revolutionize women’s health outcomes. Dr. David Sinclair, a Harvard professor of genetics, is pushing the boundaries of aging science. His research into epigenetic reprogramming—where cells are essentially “rebooted”—could pave the way for rejuvenating aging tissues, including ovaries. Dr. Sinclair and his team believe they can reverse aging by restoring lost cellular information.
This is exciting news for women everywhere, offering the promise of better health and more vibrant lives as we age. Not only could delaying menopause give women more flexibility with fertility, but it could also improve the quality of life by reducing age-related ailments. Initiatives like the Global Consortium for Reproductive Longevity and Equality are already funding research to make these breakthroughs a reality.
Why It Matters Now
Women have been suffering age-related illnesses at higher rates than their male counterparts. A few of those rising statistics that I’ve learned through my interviews and research include:
- The lifetime risk of Alzheimer’s disease is higher for women than men, and women are about twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s than men.
- The majority of 10 million people in the US with osteoporosis are female; only 1 in 5 of all cases are male.
- According to the American Lung Association, “Lung cancer diagnoses have risen a startling 84% among women over the past 42 years while dropping 36% among men over the same period.”
Women, on average, live longer than men (*nearly six years longer on average), making an increase in certain diseases more likely. But could there also be a correlation between the drop in hormones and the deterioration of many of these health conditions that we feel first-hand?
After all, estrogen is a primary mover in women’s bodies, with receptors in our gut, brain, and many other places—I learned from Claudia Levine, Founder of Pausology, in our recent episode and on her 3-hour course and program dedicated to helping women understand the basics as they enter into menopause. It’s no wonder women are evaluating hormone replacement therapies and other options to see if we can curb these alarming odds of health risks as we age and are in a plight to live our best lives.
What Can You Do to Boost Ovarian Health?
While the science of delaying menopause is still emerging, there are steps women can take today to prioritize their ovarian health. Keys include maintaining a balanced diet, staying active, and regularly consulting with a healthcare provider about reproductive health. Working with a physician who understands the intricacies of ovarian aging can make all the difference.
As we await further advancements in longevity research, staying informed and proactive about ovarian health is vital to ensuring that women can live longer and thrive through every phase of life. It’s also important to push our healthcare system to partner with women more and support more research.
The next frontier in longevity may be closer than we think, and it could start with understanding—and protecting—our ovaries.
*This article was inspired by a recent MomShine podcast episode featuring experts like Dr. Claudia Levine and evolutionary geneticist Dr. Deena Emera—the episode will launch on October 18th, for World Menopause Day.