WIDER IMPLICATION S The findings of this review indicate that alcohol consumption , particularly low and moderate alcohol intake , might be associated with later onset of menopause although the magnitude of the association is low .
BACKGROUND Early onset of menopause is associated with long-term health risks , including cardiovascular disease and premature death .
Although alcohol intake has been suggested to affect the age at which natural menopause occurs , results from observational studies are not consistent .
OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE In the view of the differing risks to the health of early menopause and the increasing trends in alcohol consumption in women , in this systematic review , we aim ed to quantify the association between all levels of alcohol consumption and menopause onset .
Pharmacodynamic effects of intravenous alcohol on hepatic and gonadal hormones: influence of age and sex.
BACKGROUND Growth hormone (GH)-insulin-like growth factor-1 ( IGF-1 ) axis and gonadal hormones demonstrate extensively associated regulation ; however , little is known about the effects of acute alcohol exposure on these hormones . This study examined the effects of intravenous alcohol on the GH-IGF-1 axis and gonadal hormone concentrations , and the influence of age and sex on their regulation . METHODS Forty-eight healthy volunteers ( 24 men and 24 women each in the 21 to 25 and 55 to 65 year age groups ) underwent a 2-session single-blinded study . Subjects received in r and omized counter-balanced order , alcohol infusions , individually computed based on a physiologically based pharmacokinetic model , to maintain a steady-state ( " clamped " ) exposure of 50 mg% or saline for 3 hours in separate sessions . Blood sample s collected at baseline and postinfusion in each session were assayed for levels of GH , IGF-1 , free testosterone , and estradiol . RESULTS Acute alcohol administration result ed in changes in gonadal hormones that differed by sex . Change in free testosterone showed a significant treatment × baseline interaction ( p < 0.001 ) , indicating that alcohol-induced suppression of testosterone occurred predominantly in men . On the other h and , change in estradiol showed a significant treatment × sex interaction ( p = 0.028 ) , indicating that alcohol-induced increases in estradiol occurred predominantly in women . There was a trend for alcohol-induced decreases in IGF-1 levels . Change in GH showed a significant main effect of baseline ( p < 0.001 ) and a trend for treatment by baseline interaction , suggesting an alcohol-induced decrease in individuals with high baseline GH values . There was also a significant main effect of sex ( p = 0.046 ) indicating that men had greater changes in GH across treatment compared with women . CONCLUSIONS Alcohol induced a complex pattern of hormonal responses that varied between younger and older men and women . Some of the observed sex-based differences may help improve our underst and ing of the greater susceptibility to alcohol-related hepatic damage seen in women
WIDER IMPLICATION S The findings of this review indicate that alcohol consumption , particularly low and moderate alcohol intake , might be associated with later onset of menopause although the magnitude of the association is low .
BACKGROUND Early onset of menopause is associated with long-term health risks , including cardiovascular disease and premature death .
Although alcohol intake has been suggested to affect the age at which natural menopause occurs , results from observational studies are not consistent .
OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE In the view of the differing risks to the health of early menopause and the increasing trends in alcohol consumption in women , in this systematic review , we aim ed to quantify the association between all levels of alcohol consumption and menopause onset .