Is it possible that menopause is associated with telomere length? Findings of an integrative review.

OBJECTIVE

Knowing the important repercussions of menopause for women's health and that female longevity can be better understood through studies based on aging biomarkers, studies on the relationship between menopause and telomere shortening may help to better understand this stage of life. This study aimed to analyze what research has been produced regarding the relationship between menopause and telomere length.

METHODS

This integrative literature review included searches in PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, Web of Science and Scopus databases. Four studies were selected for the final sample.

RESULTS

The findings of these studies indicate that older age for menopause and longer reproductive life (difference between age at menopause and menarche) are associated with longer telomeres, that is, with longevity.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between menopause and telomere length is uncertain. The small number of studies included in this review, and the fact that the results indicate that the relationship between menopause and telomere length may be dependent on the stage of the menopause and race/ethnicity, suggest that additional research focusing on these variables should be carried out.