Research

Hormonal

Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) using estrogens delays the onset of type 2 diabetes in postmenopausal women, primarily by improving insulin sensitivity and glucose effectiveness, though it is not FDA-approved for this indication due to risk-benefit complexity.

If you are postmenopausal and suffering from symptoms, MHT may help prevent type 2 diabetes by improving how your body handles insulin and glucose. However, it is not prescribed solely for diabetes prevention due to other health risks. Discuss with your doctor if the benefits for your specific symptoms outweigh the risks, especially if you are at higher risk for diabetes.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Large randomized controlled trials suggest that menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) using estrogens, delays the onset of type 2 diabetes in women.
Franck Mauvais‐Jarvis et al. · Endocrine Reviews · 2017

Why this rating

Supported by large RCTs (WHI, HERS, PEPI) and meta-analyses, though mechanisms are complex and route-dependent.

Source

Menopausal Hormone Therapy and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention: Evidence, Mechanisms, and Clinical Implications

Franck Mauvais‐Jarvis et al. · Endocrine Reviews · 2017

DOI 10.1210/er.2016-1146

narrative_reviewCited 325×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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