Ep 174 - Type 1 Diabetes & Menopause: The Research Is Growing—What Happens Next?

What happens when the diabetes strategies that worked for years suddenly stop working the same way?

For women with type 1 diabetes entering perimenopause and menopause, changing estrogen and progesterone can affect insulin sensitivity, blood sugar patterns, sleep, weight, mood, and the amount of insulin we need. Yet for years, many women have walked into diabetes appointments with these concerns only to discover that no one was connecting the dots.

In this episode, I welcome back Dawn Adams, midwife, diabetes advocate, researcher, and woman living with type 1 diabetes since 1993.

Dawn has helped bring the lived experiences of women with diabetes into international research on menopause and women's health. We talk about why those lived experiences matter, what researchers are finally beginning to document, and why the next step has to be translating research into better conversations and better care.

We also talk about:

• Why women with type 1 diabetes have often felt unseen during perimenopause and menopause
• What women are reporting about changing blood sugars, insulin needs, weight, sleep, brain fog, and other symptoms
• Why CGM, insulin pump, and insulin-dose data could help researchers better understand hormonal changes
• The growing research around menopause and diabetes
• Hormone therapy and why the conversation has changed significantly since the original WHI headlines
• Why symptoms and lived experience matter—not just age or lab values
• The need for diabetes technology to better support women through hormonal transitions
• How women can use credible research to advocate for better conversations with their healthcare providers

One of my favorite reminders from this conversation is that if we have the information, we can ask better questions.

That is also why I wrote Highs, Lows & Hormones: A Survival Guide for Women Managing Diabetes—from Monthly Cycles to Menopause. Dawn was one of my advanced readers, and during our conversation she shares why having reliable, evidence-based information can give women the courage to advocate for themselves.

This conversation is about more than menopause. It's about making sure the women coming behind us have better information, better support, and hopefully a much easier path than many of us had.

About Dawn Adams

Dawn Adams was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes during her final year of teacher training in 1993. After more than a decade working in education, she retrained as a midwife.

Dawn advocates for diabetes research through #dedoc, the International Diabetes Federation Blue Circle Voices Network, and Menopause Together. She is a member of the TREND Diabetes Committee and is frequently invited to speak at international conferences on diabetes and women's health.

She has collaborated with researchers from Ulster University, Diabetes UK, and University College London on the experiences of women with diabetes during menopause and has worked with Abbott Laboratories to highlight stigma surrounding diabetes and menopause.

Dawn also facilitates peer-support networks for people living with diabetes locally, nationally, and globally.

Listen to Dawn Adams in EP 25

Research Referenced in This Episode

Dawn referenced several research papers exploring the experiences of women living with diabetes through menopause, women's health, and the need for more sex-specific diabetes research.

Women Living With Diabetes: Overlooked and Under-Recognized, the Psychosocial Impact

Published: July 2026
Explores the often-overlooked psychosocial experiences and challenges faced by women living with diabetes.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/dme.70389

One Size Does Not Fit All: The Need for Sex-Specific Precision Medicine in Diabetes Technology

Published: May 2025
Highlights the need to consider sex-specific differences when developing and using diabetes technology and calls for a more individualized approach to diabetes care.

https://doi.org/10.1177/19322968251340673

Supporting Women in Menopause

Published: March 2025
Addresses the need for greater awareness and support for women navigating menopause alongside diabetes.

https://doi.org/10.1111/dme.70039

Women's Experiences of Living Through Menopause With Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: A Scoping Review

Published: May 2024
Examines the available research surrounding the experiences of women with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes as they navigate menopause.

https://pure.ulster.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/241398893/Review_Protocol_.pdf

A Pilot on the Endocrine Effects of Hormonal Replacement Therapy on Menopausal T1 Diabetics Using Wearable Sensors

Published: November 2022
Explores the use of wearable diabetes technology to examine the endocrine effects of hormone replacement therapy in menopausal women living with Type 1 Diabetes.

https://doi.org/10.3390/ecsa-9-13215

Connect with Dawn Adams:

IG @t1dawnie

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Highs, Lows, & Hormones Circle

Visit diabetessisters.org to join. It's free, easy to use, and a great place to find community and support.

Disclaimer: Nothing you hear on this Type 1 in Midlife Podcast should substitute for professional medical advice. Please always consult your medical professional before changing your diet, insulin dosages or health care plan.