Early menstruation linked to higher heart disease risk

By Jimmy Downs

Women who got their first menstrual period may be at higher risk of a number of health problems including heart disease, according to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

British researchers found women who started menstruating before age 12 were at 23 percent increased risk of developing heart disease and at 28 percent increased risk of dying of heart attack or stroke.

These women were also at a 22 percent increased overall risk of death and at a 25 percent higher risk of dying from cancer, the researchers reported.

Early menarche has been found in previous studies to cause many other health problems. 

Women who started menstruating before age 12 were more likely to die in a period of 37 years than those who got their first period at age 14, one study showed.

Studies also linked early menarche to increased risk of diabetes and breast cancer in adulthood. 

Women who started menstruating early are exposed to high levels of endogenous estrogen and other hormones for a longer period, which may be one of the reasons for the increased risk, a health observer suggests.