Drinking alcohol in moderation during menopause may be OK. But consider avoiding alcohol if you find it triggers uncomfortable symptoms, such as insomnia and hot flashes.

A number of habits can affect the frequency and severity of menopause symptoms. Drinking alcohol may be one of them for some people.

What’s moderate alcohol consumption?

Dietary Guidelines in the United States recommend that if you choose to drink alcohol, women should have at most 1 drink per day.

We use the term “women” in this article to refer to those assigned female at birth, but we acknowledge that sex and gender exist on a spectrum.

You store less water in your body as you age. The less water you have, the less your body can dilute alcohol. Your body may become more sensitive to the effects of alcohol, especially the sleep-inducing (sedative) effects.

If you have a lower body weight and a smaller body size, you may feel the effects of alcohol more quickly than those with a higher body weight and larger build. This is because you absorb alcohol faster.

Because of this, women often need less alcohol than men to feel the same effects.

Women may produce less alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzyme in their stomachs, according to a 2022 animal study. As a result, their bodies may not tolerate alcohol as well as men.

How much you can drink during menopause depends on your:

  • personal health
  • drinking history or tolerance
  • family history
  • body weight and size

Even small amounts of alcohol can interfere with certain medications. It’s important to talk with your doctor about the medications you take, if any, if you drink or plan on it.

To minimize health risks during menopause, most healthy women should consume no more than 1 drink per day, or 7 drinks per week.

What’s considered “1 drink”?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define 1 drink as:

  • 1.5 fluid ounces of 80-proof distilled alcohol with an alcohol content of about 40%, equivalent to a shot glass.
  • 5 fluid ounces of wine at an alcohol content of about 12%.
  • 8 fluid ounces of malt liquor at an alcohol content of about 7%.
  • 12 fluid ounces of regular beer at an alcohol content of about 5%, equivalent to a standard bottle or can.

Though alcohol is a sedative and may help you fall asleep, drinking it increases the risk of disturbed sleep, according to the National Council on Aging. This may worsen menopause-related insomnia.

You might find that alcohol triggers other symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes. This is because alcohol causes your blood vessels to widen. You may feel sudden heat and skin flushing as a result.

Current research on whether alcohol may help with symptoms of menopause is limited. An older 2015 study concluded that having at least one drink per day may help decrease your risk for hot flashes.

An older 2017 research review suggests that the nutrients and hops found in beer may help relieve hot flashes and other common symptoms.

However, clinical trials that look at the effects of beer consumption on menopausal women are needed. It’s also possible that nonalcoholic beer may provide similar benefits.

While you might have heard that moderate drinking may have benefits, the CDC indicates that even this may have risks.

To lower your health risks from alcohol, the CDC recommends:

  • If you don’t drink, don’t start for any reason.
  • If you do drink, try to drink less or in moderation.

Cancer

Drinking any amount of alcohol is linked to an increased risk of certain cancers, including:

The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory recently linked alcohol consumption to an increased risk of 7 types of cancer. If you choose to drink, try to do so in moderation and try to avoid excessive drinking. Consider avoiding it completely if it triggers unpleasant symptoms for you.

Heart disease, obesity, and organ damage

Excess drinking may increase the risk of heart disease in people ages 18 to 65 years compared to those with moderate or low consumption.

Your heart is already at an increased risk for heart disease during menopause.

Frequent drinking may increase your risk for central (abdominal) obesity, which is a major factor in the development of heart disease.

Alcohol misuse has also been linked to the damage of several other organs, including your:

Brittle bones and fracture

Drinking more than 1.5 to 2 drinks daily may increase your risk of bone fractures and reduced bone density.

Those who drink heavily are also more likely to experience falls that contribute to an increased risk of broken bones.

Protecting your bone health during the menopause transition is especially important, as you become more prone to osteoporosis.

Depression and alcohol use disorder

A 2020 study also shows that heavy drinking is on the rise in both women and older adults. Heavy drinking may worsen symptoms of depression.

Even in people without depression, excessive alcohol consumption may lead to alcohol use disorder.

People who choose to drink may find that it worsens or triggers some symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and insomnia.

If this is the case for you, consider avoiding it or drinking in moderation. Even moderate drinking, which is no more than 1 drink per day for women and 2 for men, however, is linked to adverse health effects, including cancer.

It’s important to talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe for you to drink during the menopause transition.

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