“Women who smoke generally reach menopause
earlier than non-smokers.
They are also more likely to experience early menopause”.1

Umbrella
What may the Menopause and Smoking Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Effect of Smoking on Menopause Age
  • Menopause and Smoking

Early MenopauseMenopause and Smoking

Is there an association between early menopause and smoking?

In Smoking’s Impact on Women’s Health: Smoking and Women’s Health – Reproductive Issues the (United States) Smokefreewomen include:

“Women who smoke are more likely than women who don’t smoke to:

  • Have more irregular or painful periods
  • Have low estrogen levels, which can lead to mood swings, fatigue, and vaginal dryness
  • Go through menopause at a younger age, and have worse symptoms…”.2

In Looking After Yourself: Smoking and Other Drugs the (Australia) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) explain:

“Women who smoke generally reach menopause earlier than non-smokers. They are also more likely to experience early menopause”.3

Hot Flushes

Is there an association between menopausal hot flushes and smoking?

In Looking After Yourself: Smoking and Other Drugs the JH note:

“Women who smoke also have more severe and frequent hot flushes and night sweats, and difficulty sleeping”.4

Menopause

Is there an association between menopause and smoking?

Yes. In Health Effects: Stomach and Hormones – Lower Estrogen Levels Smokefreewomen explain:

“Smoking lowers a female’s level of estrogen. Low estrogen levels can cause dry skin, thinning hair, and memory problems. Women who smoke have a harder time getting pregnant and having a healthy baby. Smoking can also lead to early menopause, which increases your risk of developing certain diseases (like heart disease)”.5

Cancer

Is there an association between cancer and smoking?

In Harms of Cigarette Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting: What Are Some of the Health Problems Caused By Cigarette Smoking? the (United States) National Cancer Institute (NCI) explain:

“Smoking harms nearly every bodily organ and organ system in the body and diminishes a person’s overall health. Smoking causes cancers of the lung, esophagus, larynx, mouth, throat, kidney, bladder, liver, pancreas, stomach, cervix, colon, and rectum, as well as acute myeloid leukemia”.6

Health Problems

Besides cancer, is there an association between other health problems and smoking?

In Harms of Cigarette Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting: What Are Some of the Health Problems Caused By Cigarette Smoking? the NCI also note:

“Smoking also causes heart disease, stroke, aortic aneurysm (a balloon-like bulge in an artery in the chest), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (chronic bronchitis and emphysema), diabetes, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, age-related macular degeneration, and cataracts, and worsens asthma symptoms in adults. Smokers are at higher risk of developing pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other airway infections. In addition, smoking causes inflammation and impairs immune function”.7

Bone Health

Is there an association between bone health and smoking?

In Smoking and Bone Health: Smoking and Osteoporosis the (United States) National Institute of Health’s Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center explain:

“Cigarette smoking was first identified as a risk factor for osteoporosis decades ago. Studies have shown a direct relationship between tobacco use and decreased bone density”.8

Bigger Belly

Is there an association between a bigger belly and smoking?

Yes. In Health Effects: Stomach and Hormones – Belly Smokefreewomen explain:

“Smokers have bigger bellies and less muscle than non-smokers. They are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, even if they don’t smoke every day. Smoking also makes it harder to control diabetes once you already have it. Diabetes is a serious disease that can lead to blindness, heart disease, kidney failure, and amputations”.9

Weight Gain

What if I would like to quit smoking but I am worried about putting on weight?

If you would like to quit smoking but you are worried about putting on weight, your Country may have information similar to the (United States) Cleveland Clinic’s How To Quit Smoking Without Putting on Weight.

Quit Smoking Guide

Where may I find a quit smoking guide?

Your Country may have a quit smoking guide similar to Smokefreewomen’s Quit Smoking, the NHS’s Quit Smoking or Australia’s Quit website.

Quit Smoking Apps

Where may I find a quit smoking app?

Your Country may have a quit smoking app similar to Smokefreewomen’s Smokefree Apps and the NHS Quit Smoking App.

Quitline

Why can calling your Country’s Quitline be the key to your success?

In Five Reasons Why Calling A Quitline Can Be Key To Your Success the (United States) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention elaborate on:

  • “You can get help to stop smoking—free, with no judgment…
  • Quit coaches help create a plan that can work for you….
  • Quit coaches can help you get quit-smoking medications…
  • You can get helpful tips on…
  • And the best reason of all to use a quitline – you’re more likely to stay quit!”10

Bottom Line

What is the bottom line about quitting smoking?

In How To Quit Smoking: Bottom Line the American Cancer Society explain:

“One of the most important things researchers have learned about quitting smoking is that the person who smokes needs to keep trying. It may take several serious attempts before a person who smokes can quit forever. Rather than looking at a slip back to smoking as a failure, consider it an opportunity to learn from experience and be better prepared to quit the next time”.11

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Menopause and Smoking?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Links

Where may I find Links related to Menopause and Smoking?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Looking After Yourself: Smoking and Other Drugs. Last Updated: 02 March 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself#smoking-and-other-drugs Accessed: 02 March 2023
  2. Smoking’s Impact on Women’s Health: Smoking and Women’s Health – Reproductive Issues. Smokefreewomen https://women.smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/what-women-should-know/smokings-impact-on-women Accessed: 02 March 2023
  3. Looking After Yourself: Smoking and Other Drugs. Last Updated: 02 March 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself#smoking-and-other-drugs Accessed: 02 March 2023
  4. Looking After Yourself: Smoking and Other Drugs. Last Updated: 02 March 2023 | Last Reviewed: 19 August 2022. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://www.jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/looking-after-yourself#smoking-and-other-drugs Accessed: 02 March 2023
  5. Health Effects: Stomach and Hormones – Lower Estrogen Levels. Smokefreewomen https://smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/why-you-should-quit/health-effects Accessed: 02 March 2023
  6. Harms of Cigarette Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting: What Are Some of the Health Problems Caused By Cigarette Smoking? Reviewed: 19 December 2017. National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/cessation-fact-sheet#q2 Accessed: 02 March 2023
  7. Harms of Cigarette Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting: What Are Some of the Health Problems Caused By Cigarette Smoking? Reviewed: 19 December 2017. National Cancer Institute https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/cessation-fact-sheet#q2 Accessed: 02 March 2023
  8. Smoking and Bone Health: Smoking and Osteoporosis. Last Reviewed: December 2018. National Institute of Health’s Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/osteoporosis/conditions-behaviors/bone-smoking Accessed: 02 March 2023
  9. Health Effects: Stomach and Hormones – Belly. Smokefreewomen https://smokefree.gov/quit-smoking/why-you-should-quit/health-effects Accessed: 02 March 2023
  10. Five Reasons Why Calling A Quitline Can Be Key to Your Success. Page Last Reviewed: 21 November 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/quitline/index.html?s_cid=OSH_tips_D9756 Accessed: 02 March 2023
  11. How To Quit Smoking: Bottom Line. 02 January 2020 American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/how-to-quit-smoking.html Accessed: 02 March 2023
Topic Last Updated: 02 March 2023 – Topic Last Reviewed: 02 March 2023

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