Research
Hormonal
Menopause itself increases the risk of type 2 diabetes due to estrogen deficiency, leading to increased visceral fat, decreased energy expenditure, and impaired insulin secretion, which are partially reversed by MHT.
Menopause increases diabetes risk due to loss of estrogen, which affects fat distribution and insulin sensitivity. This risk is higher if menopause occurs early or surgically. MHT can help mitigate these risks if used for symptom management, but lifestyle factors remain critical.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
We discuss the beneficial effects of endogenous estradiol in insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity and glucose effectiveness, as well as energy expenditure and adipose distribution that are lost at menopause and improved by MHT, which decreases the incidence of type 2 diabetes.
Why this rating
Supported by observational studies, RCTs, and animal models.
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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