LONDON:

Regular smoking can lead to early onset of menopause, Norwegian scientists say. Menopause is marked by the end of menstruation and occurs at the average age of 50. Symptoms include hot flushes, insomnia and mood swings. Smoking is already known for damaging many organs of the body. It causes 87 percent of lung cancer deaths. It is also responsible for many other cancers and health problems.

University of Oslo studied 2,123 women and found that women who smoke are 59 percent more likely than non-smokers to get menopause before the age of 45 years, which puts them at an increased risk of osteoporosis and heart disease.

For the heaviest smokers, the risk of early menopause was nearly doubled, reported the online edition of the Daily Mail. “The earlier a woman stops smoking, the more protection she derives with respect to an early onset of menopause,” research leader Thea Mikkelsen said.