Cohort study, 2015
Does drinking alcohol affect reproductive hormones or menstrual cycle regularity?
Recent alcohol drinks raise reproductive hormone levels, but moderate drinking does not appear to disrupt menstrual cycle regularity in the short term.
What they did
Prospective cohort of 259 women followed 2 cycles (2005-2007). Blood samples collected up to 8 times per cycle and diet recalled 4 times per cycle. Examined whether daily alcohol affected hormone levels and whether average cycle-wide alcohol was linked to cycle problems.
What they found
For each drink consumed, total estradiol increased 5.26% (95% CI 1.27% to 9.41%), free estradiol 5.82% (95% CI 1.81% to 9.99%), total testosterone 1.56% (95% CI 0.23% to 2.90%), and luteinizing hormone 6.18% (95% CI 2.02% to 10.52%). Binge drinking was linked to 64% higher total estradiol. Average cycle alcohol was not significantly linked to cycle irregularities, missed ovulation, short luteal phase, long periods, or heavy bleeding.
What it means for you
Alcohol temporarily raises reproductive hormone levels, but does not appear to cause menstrual cycle problems in the short term. Main limit is that women were followed for only 2 cycles, so long-term effects remain unknown.
259
Number of women
5.26%
Increase in total estradiol per alcoholic drink
64.35%
Increase in total estradiol with binge drinking
About the study
- Original title
- Alcohol intake, reproductive hormones, and menstrual cycle function: a prospective cohort study
- Authors
- Schliep KC, Zarek SM, Schisterman EF et al.
- Journal
- The American journal of clinical nutrition
- Year
- 2015
- Study design
- Cohort study
- What was tested
- None; observational study measuring alcohol consumption and reproductive hormones
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.114.102160
Topics
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