Alcohol use in women affects the body’s ability to regulate reproductive hormones.

This is true for women that are addicted to alcohol, and may even alter hormone levels in women that are considered to be “social drinkers”. 

Drinking alcohol can cause elevated levels of estradiol. Estradiol is the most common type of estrogen that is present in the body. It’s believed that the increase in estradiol is responsible for the changes that occur in the reproductive system because of alcohol use.

Possibly resulting in:

Irregular menstrual cycles

Anovulatory menstrual cycles

Increased risk of miscarriage

Damage to ovarian tissue

The early-onset of menopause

Another concern related to alcohol use is the increased risk of breast cancer. The research is clear that alcohol consumption increases a woman’s risk of breast cancer.

It may be surprising to many that this is true even for those that are considered to be “light” drinkers, women that drink less than one alcoholic beverage per day.

There is a 4-15% increased risk of breast cancer for women in this “light” drinking category. This increase in estrogen levels due to alcohol intake is considered to be one of the mechanisms that contribute to breast cancer development in those that drink.

In addition to avoiding alcohol use, there are some great integrative approaches to help with hormone imbalances. It’s easy to measure reproductive hormone levels via urine. This is non-invasive and very accurate. Some labs will also reveal issues in the metabolic pathways that are contributing to hormone levels.

All naturopathic physicians are trained in the support of the liver and digestive tract as ways to ensure proper breakdown and elimination of hormones. These systems are certainly impaired by alcohol use and can require extra support for those that are in recovery from alcohol use.

References:

Liu, Y., Nguyen, N., & Colditz, G. A. (2015). Links between alcohol consumption and breast cancer: A look at the evidence. Women’s Health (London, England), 11(1), 65–77. https://doi.org/10.2217/whe.14.62

Rachdaoui N, Sarkar DK. Effects of Alcohol on the Endocrine System. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2013;42(3):593-615. doi:10.1016/j.ecl.2013.05.008 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3767933/