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 .
Acute effect of alcohol on estradiol, estrone, progesterone, prolactin, cortisol, and luteinizing hormone in premenopausal women.
BACKGROUND Heavy alcohol consumption is associated with menstrual irregularities , including anovulation , luteal-phase dysfunction , recurrent amenorrhea , and early menopause . In addition , moderate to heavy alcohol intake has been found to increase the risk of spontaneous abortions and breast cancer . These adverse effects could at least in part originate from alcohol-mediated changes in hormone levels . METHODS The acute effect of alcohol on the hormone balance in women using oral contraceptives ( OC+ ) and also in nonusers ( OC- )  , was evaluated in 30 OC- and 31 OC+ subjects , representing the whole period of the menstrual cycle . It was also evaluated in 40 OC- and 47 OC+ subjects during the midcycle phase and in 10 OC+ subjects with unknown cycle phase . RESULTS We found that among subjects who used oral contraceptives  , estradiol levels increased and progesterone levels decreased after intake of alcohol ( 0.5 g/kg ) . No dose effect ( 0.34 - 1.02 g/kg ) on progesterone was observed in a sub study on 10 OC+ subjects . With regard to estrone levels , no effect was observed , although a significant increase was found in the estradiol-to-estrone ratio . Among subjects not using oral contraceptives , progesterone levels decreased after intake of alcohol ( 0.5 g/kg ) . No effect was found in estradiol , estrone , or the estradiol-to-estrone ratio during midcycle in this study group . A transient elevating effect of alcohol ( 0.5 g/kg ) on prolactin levels was observed in both study groups . We found that alcohol ( 0.5 g/kg ) had no significant effect on luteinizing hormone ( LH ) levels among subjects not using oral contraceptives , and observed a decline among subjects using oral contraceptives at midcycle . CONCLUSIONS We suggest that the estradiol and progesterone effects are related to decreased steroid catabolism , result ing from the alcohol-mediated increase in the hepatic NADH-to-NAD ratio . The transient effect on prolactin levels may reflect acute changes in opioid and dopamine levels in the hypothalamus . The present findings regarding female sex steroids may be of relevance in the association between moderate to heavy alcohol consumption and the development of breast cancer
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 .