Research Article

Metabolomic Alterations in Postmenopausal Women: Experience in a Metropolitan City of South-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The decline in levels of some hormones during menopause has been associated with metabolic syndromes, particularly cardiovascular diseases, and cardiovascular diseases have been ascribed to hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance and lifestyle changes. Aim: This study investigated changes in lipid profiles, insulin levels, and body weight in post-menopausal women in Enugu metropolis, an urban town in South-eastern Nigeria. Method: This was a cross-sectional study and involved 150 post-menopausal women aged 55 to 70 years. One hundred and five (105) pre-menopausal women aged 25 to 40 years were used as controls. Lipid parameters (total cholesterol – TC, high-density lipoprotein – HDL, low-density lipoprotein – LDL, very low-density lipoprotein – VLDL, and triglycerides – TG) and insulin levels were determined spectrophotometrically, while body weights were determined using a digital Weighing Balance. Results: The results of the study showed that TC, LDL, VLDL and TG were significantly higher in post-menopausal women than in pre menopausal women (p≤0.001). These parameters also showed positive correlations with the age of the post-menopausal women. Conversely, HDL was significantly lower in post-menopausal women than in pre-menopausal women (p<0.001), with a strong negative correlation with the age of the post-menopausal women (p=0.002). Furthermore, post-menopausal women had significantly higher insulin levels and body weights than the pre-menopausal women (p<0.001 for each). Both insulin levels and body weights showed strong positive correlations with the age of the post-menopausal women (p=0.029 and 0.015, respectively). However, no significant correlations were observed between any of the parameters and age of the pre-menopausal women. Conclusion: These findings denote a possible high prevalence of metabolic diseases, especially cardiovascular disease, during post-menopausal age, and emphasize the need for targeted interventions focusing on hormonal balance and lifestyle modifications to take care of metabolic health and mitigate cardiovascular risks in post-menopausal women.

Authors affiliation:

Sylvester Ogbonna Ogbodo (ORCID): Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria.
Miriam Obiageli Aniagolu: Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria.
Onyebuchi Peter Ogbodo (ORCID): Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu, Nigeria.

How To Cite: S.O. Ogbodo, M.O. Aniagolu and O.P. Ogbodo. Metabolomic Alterations in Postmenopausal Women: Experience in a Metropolitan City of South-Eastern Nigeria. Healthcare Issues, 5(2):20–25, 2026. https://doi.org/10.58614/hi524