Menopause and High Altitude: A Scoping Review-UIAA Medical Commission Recommendations

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Altitude Physiology
• Women's Health

Background:

• Older adults, including postmenopausal women, are increasingly participating in mountain activities.
• Understanding their unique health considerations at high altitudes is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review on health issues faced by older and postmenopausal women at high altitudes.
• To assess susceptibility to high-altitude illness in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review of PubMed and Cochrane libraries was performed.
• Manual searches supplemented the database review.
• Eleven studies were included, examining lowland women at high altitude and high-altitude residents.

Main Results:

• Data on high-altitude effects on postmenopausal women are scarce.
• Menopause minimally impacts physiological responses to hypoxia in fit women, not increasing acute mountain sickness risk.
• Postmenopausal women may have a higher risk of urinary tract infections at high altitudes.

Conclusions:

• Current research on postmenopausal women at high altitudes is limited.
• Further investigation is required into the physiology and performance of older women in high-altitude environments.
• Specific attention should be paid to increased risks such as urinary tract infections.