Abstract 029: Menopause Alters The Gut Microbiome In Hispanic/Latina Women Of The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), With Implications For Metabolic Syndrome

Introduction: During menopause, women experience an increase in cardiometabolic risk factors, thought to relate to aging and loss of endogenous estrogen. Menopause may also influence the gut microbiome, which plays a role in cardiometabolic risk. However, the menopause-microbiome relationship has not been examined in a large study and implications for disease are unknown. Hypothesis: Menopause alters gut microbiome composition, which may affect post-menopausal disease risk. Methods: Menopause was defined by self report of 12 months of amenorrhea, not due to surgery or other non-natural causes. Shotgun sequencing was used on stool from 2370 participants (301 pre-menopausal women; 1072 post-menopausal women; 997 men). Between pre- and post-menopausal women and age-matched men, we compared microbiome diversity, composition, and taxa. Results: Pre-menopausal women had higher gut microbiome diversity than post-menopausal women and men (all p Conclusions: Menopause is associated with a gut microbiome more similar to that of men, perhaps related to the common condition of a low estrogen state. In HCHS/SOL, menopause was associated with depletion of gut pathogens, which were related to increased diabetes risk. These findings require confirmation in other racial/ethnic groups.