Perimenopause is therefore an ideal time to review your vascular health, identify risk factors<\/strong> and take action before cardiovascular disease has a chance to develop. The American Heart Association<\/strong> recognises the menopause transition as a key period for stepping up cardiovascular prevention early on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before menopause, oestrogens<\/strong> are involved in several mechanisms that benefit cardiovascular health, including the proper functioning of blood vessel walls and the regulation of fat metabolism and blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As oestrogen levels decline and become more erratic during the menopause transition, a number of changes can occur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the menopause transition, LDL cholesterol<\/strong>, often called \u201cbad cholesterol\u201d, tends to rise. When there is too much LDL in the blood, it can gradually build up in the artery walls and contribute to the formation of cholesterol-containing deposits known as atheromatous plaques<\/strong>. Over time, these plaques can narrow the arteries, restrict blood flow and lead to serious complications such as heart attack or stroke<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With age, arteries gradually lose their elasticity<\/strong>. The menopause transition may bring further changes in vascular function and blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And high blood pressure (hypertension)<\/strong> is one of the leading modifiable risk factors for heart attack, stroke and heart failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The menopause transition may also be accompanied by reduced insulin sensitivity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over time, this can lead to higher blood sugar levels, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes<\/strong>, which are themselves major cardiovascular risk factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Menopause often brings a redistribution of body fat, with a tendency for fat to build up around the abdomen and internal organs (visceral fat)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This visceral fat<\/strong> is particularly metabolically active. It is associated with increased insulin resistance, disrupted fat and sugar metabolism, and chronic low-grade inflammation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is one reason why waist circumference<\/strong> can provide useful information beyond weight or BMI alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With age and hormonal changes, chronic low-grade inflammation<\/strong> can gradually set in. Linked in particular to the build-up of visceral fat, it may contribute to atherosclerosis<\/strong> (the gradual formation of deposits in the artery walls), insulin resistance and vascular ageing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oxidative stress<\/strong>, an imbalance between oxidising molecules and the body\u2019s antioxidant defences, may also play a part in these processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rise in cardiovascular risk during the menopause transition and after menopause results from several interacting mechanisms<\/strong>: vascular ageing, hormonal changes, an unfavourable lipid profile, high blood pressure, disrupted glucose metabolism, visceral fat accumulation and chronic low-grade inflammation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perimenopause can therefore be a good time to have your blood lipids checked, start monitoring your blood pressure regularly, measure your waist circumference and blood sugar, and assess your overall cardiovascular risk with a healthcare professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cardiovascular disease usually develops over many years, or even decades<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is exactly what makes perimenopause so valuable from a prevention perspective: risk factors can still be identified and addressed<\/strong> at a stage when cardiovascular complications have generally not yet appeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A few simple habits form the cornerstones of prevention:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For some women, personalised support can be particularly helpful. Depending on individual needs, a doctor, dietitian, exercise professional or other complementary practitioner can help tailor advice to each woman\u2019s lifestyle, symptoms, medical history and goals. A holistic, individualised approach can help women navigate this stage of life with greater peace of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, cardiovascular prevention around menopause does not rely on a single solution, but on the combined effect of several healthy habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Beyond vitamins and minerals, a plant-rich diet provides a wide variety of bioactive compounds<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These include polyphenols, a large family of molecules naturally found in fruit, vegetables, berries, tea, cocoa and many plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anthocyanins<\/strong>, which belong to this family, are responsible for the red, purple and blue colours of many plants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These molecules are being studied for their influence on various mechanisms involved in cardiovascular health: blood vessel function, oxidative stress, inflammation, and lipid and sugar metabolism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among polyphenol-rich plants, Hibiscus sabdariffa<\/strong> has attracted particular scientific interest, especially regarding its influence on various cardiometabolic parameters, including blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2022 meta-analysis of 17 clinical trials<\/strong> reported a reduction in systolic blood pressure<\/strong>, which was more pronounced in people with elevated blood pressure at baseline. It also found a reduction in LDL cholesterol, often called \u201cbad cholesterol\u201d [1].<\/p>\n\n\n\n These findings are supported by a meta-analysis published in 2025<\/strong>, covering 26 trials and 1,797 participants<\/strong>, which also reported favourable effects on blood pressure and on certain lipid and blood sugar parameters [2].<\/p>\n\n\n\n This evidence helps explain the growing interest in hibiscus as part of a holistic approach to cardiovascular prevention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These molecules are being studied for their role in protecting cells against oxidative stress and their influence on various mechanisms involved in cardiovascular health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A meta-analysis of 7 randomised trials<\/strong> found a reduction in total and LDL cholesterol<\/strong>, as well as a reduction in triglycerides at higher doses of aronia [3]. Another meta-analysis also observed a reduction in total cholesterol and systolic blood pressure, with more marked effects in adults over 50<\/strong> [4].<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks to its high polyphenol content and its potential relevance to lipid metabolism and vascular health, aronia is a natural complement to hibiscus within a holistic nutritional approach to cardiovascular prevention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the thinking behind Pharmalp\u2019s HIBISCOL\u00ae: a formula combining two plant sources of polyphenols and anthocyanins, hibiscus and aronia, with added vitamin B1 (thiamine)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n HIBISCOL\u00ae combines hibiscus and aronia extracts with vitamin B1, which contributes to the normal function of the heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HIBISCOL\u00ae is designed to complement a holistic preventive approach that includes a balanced diet, regular physical activity and monitoring of the main cardiovascular risk factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perimenopause can be a genuine window of opportunity<\/strong>: a time to get to know your risk factors, adapt your lifestyle and establish, early enough, the habits that will help preserve your health for years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A diet rich in plants and polyphenols, regular physical activity, good-quality sleep and monitoring of the main risk factors form the foundation of this prevention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within this approach, plants such as hibiscus and aronia are promising areas of scientific research. HIBISCOL\u00ae brings them together in a formula based on hibiscus, aronia and vitamin B1, as part of a holistic approach to cardiovascular health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking care of your heart during perimenopause is not about waiting for the risk to rise: it is about using this stage of life to take charge of your long-term health.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nKey takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Why does cardiovascular risk change around menopause?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A less favourable lipid profile<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Blood pressure that may rise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Insulin sensitivity that may decline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A shift in body fat distribution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Silent, low-grade inflammation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In a nutshell:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Perimenopause: a time to act rather than wait<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
Polyphenols: a valuable part of a preventive approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Hibiscus: a plant widely studied in relation to blood pressure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Aronia: one of the richest known sources of anthocyanins<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
HIBISCOL\u00ae: hibiscus and aronia combined<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Pharmalp](\"https:\/\/www.pharmalp.ch\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/thumb_hibiscol-2.png\")
<\/figure>In conclusion:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n