Menopause is associated with increased frailty susceptibility in women, with steroid-related hormonal pathways (estrogens, androgens, vitamin D) playing key roles, and lifestyle interventions including healthy dietary patterns and regular physical activity demonstrating efficacy in mitigating frailty.
Key Findings
Background
Women have a higher risk of developing frailty than men, and menopause has been associated with increased susceptibility to frailty.
Epidemiological evidence indicates that women have a higher risk of developing frailty than men.
Menopause has been specifically associated with increased susceptibility to frailty.
The review frames menopause as a critical window for early identification and targeted intervention.
Frailty is described as arising from 'progressive erosion of physiological reserves across multiple systems, resulting in heightened vulnerability to stressors.'
Results
Estrogens, androgens, and vitamin D are identified as key hormonal factors contributing to frailty development in menopausal women.
The review focuses specifically on steroid-related pathways including estrogens, androgens, and vitamin D.
These hormones are examined in the context of physiological changes accompanying menopause.
The review aims to clarify their 'potential roles in frailty susceptibility during midlife and beyond.'
The hormonal changes of menopause are presented as a mechanistic link to increased frailty risk.
Results
Menopausal hormone therapy shows some indications of a protective role against frailty, though based on limited evidence.
The authors describe 'some indications, albeit based on limited evidence, of a protective role of menopausal hormone therapy.'
The characterization as 'limited evidence' indicates the current data are insufficient for strong conclusions.
This finding is presented as a potential but not yet confirmed intervention strategy.
Results
Healthy dietary patterns and regular physical activity have demonstrated efficacy in mitigating frailty in menopausal women.
Both healthy dietary patterns and regular physical activity are described as having 'demonstrated efficacy in mitigating frailty.'
These lifestyle strategies are characterized as able to 'counteract the adverse effects of menopause.'
The review frames lifestyle interventions as reinforcing the importance of non-pharmacological approaches.
Physical activity and diet are presented as more evidence-supported interventions compared to hormone therapy for frailty mitigation.
Conclusions
Early identification of frailty and targeted interventions may benefit strategies to promote healthy aging in women.
The review states that 'strategies to promote healthy aging may benefit from the early identification of frailty and the implementation of targeted interventions.'
Frailty is described as potentially 'mitigating or potentially reversing' with appropriate interventions.
Menopause is framed as a 'gateway to healthy aging,' suggesting it represents a key intervention window.
The review integrates available evidence to clarify hormonal roles in frailty susceptibility 'during midlife and beyond.'
What This Means
This research review examines the connection between menopause and frailty — a condition where the body's reserves become depleted, making a person more vulnerable to health problems. The authors found that women are more likely to develop frailty than men, and that the hormonal changes of menopause, particularly the decline in estrogens, androgens, and vitamin D, appear to play an important role in why women become more susceptible to frailty during and after midlife. The review suggests that menopause may represent an important opportunity — a 'gateway' — for identifying and addressing frailty before it becomes severe.
Regarding treatments, the review found encouraging but limited evidence that menopausal hormone therapy may offer some protection against frailty. In contrast, there is stronger evidence supporting the benefits of healthy eating and regular physical activity in reducing frailty risk. These lifestyle approaches are described as capable of counteracting some of the adverse effects associated with menopause.
This research suggests that healthcare providers and women themselves should be aware of menopause as a critical life stage for monitoring frailty risk. The findings highlight that both hormonal and lifestyle factors matter for healthy aging in women, and that addressing frailty early — ideally during the menopausal transition — may help preserve health and independence later in life. The authors note that more research is needed, particularly on the role of hormone therapy, before definitive recommendations can be made.
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A. Monllor-Tormos, Arturo Artero, M. García-Pérez, J. Tarín, Antonio Cano. (2026). Frailty and menopause: A gateway to healthy aging.. Maturitas. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2026.108931