Does menopause affect cholesterol levels?
Yes. Before menopause, women usually have total levels lower than those of men the same age. As women and men get older, their cholesterol levels rise until about 60 to 65 years of age. In women, menopause often causes an increase in their LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and a decrease in their HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels. And after the age of 50, women often have higher total levels than men of the same age.
