23 Jan 2013

How alcohol can impact women's health

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Have you overindulged during the festive season? Are you thinking that now may be a god time for a break from the booze? Naturopath Jennifer McLennan looks at how alcohol may impact women’s health and why the month of February is the perfect time for a dry month.

Women's health

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Febfast is a great incentive to abstain from alcohol for a month, and get onboard to raise funds to help with youth and adult alcohol assistance programs. Not only will you be helping a worthy cause, but your health may also reap the benefits of an alcohol free month, and feeling better is always a great way to kick off a new year.

Many of us are aware of the negative effects of alcohol on the liver, nervous system, and stomach for example, but we may not be aware that it could affect normal hormonal balance within the menstrual cycle, leading to poor reproductive health. Although the mechanism is not entirely known, information seems to show that alcohol may affect the metabolism and therefore the levels of reproductive hormones, which can be a contributing factor to menstrual problems such as painful, irregular or absent periods.

It’s believed that when we consume alcohol oestrogen metabolism slows. This can cause a build up and an increase in levels of oestrogen in the system. Increased exposure to oestrogen over time may impact reproductive system health by increasing cell growth in oestrogen sensitive tissues such as in the uterus and breast, which may contribute to the development of fibroids, endometriosis, and heavy periods.

Fertility may also be affected as alcohol may cause problems with ovulation, due to increased oestrogen levels inhibiting the release of follicular stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is a hormone released from the brain at mid cycle to signal the ovaries to release an egg, otherwise known as ovulation. Alcohol may work to reduce the level of FSH which can mean that ovulation does not occur, leading to irregular cycles and possibly contributing to infertility.

The risk of endometriosis and painful periods may also be increased with moderate alcohol intake. Once again, a higher than normal amount of oestrogen is believed to play a role in the development of endometriosis. Elevated oestrogen levels can diminish the activity of cells in the immune system called natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells play a role in destroying abnormal cells and maintaining a healthier balance in the immune system, and therefore a healthier uterus. Alcohol may further reduce the immune systems’ ability to clear and remove abnormal cells, leading to poorer immunity.

So how much is too much? Although there are no exact figures, it is believed that consuming even a moderate amount of alcohol, up to 10 standard drinks per week could put you at greater risk of reproductive disorders. Even as little as one drink has been shown to impact the liver and oestrogen levels. So February may be the perfect time to have a break from alcohol and start a healthier pattern for the New Year.

References available on request

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